Polyethylene is produced by the polymerization of ethylene, a gas primarily obtained from petroleum, the basic structure of polyethylene is very similar from that of paraffin obtained from petroleum, a typical polyethylene has a sequence of many side chain methyl groups and a lesser number of methylene groups in the molecule.Polyethylene which have a molecular weight of less than 6000 have wax like characteristics typically between 2000-4000 while those more than 12000 molecular weight are resins and between 4000-12000 are wax like resins. Typically PE waxes have a melting range between 90-110 °C and hardness of 0.15-05 and have density of 0.9-0.95, they are white in colour and are generally in flakes or powder form and are non toxic, tasteless and odourless resistant to water and other chemicals soluble in turpentine, naphtha, xylene and toluene.
PE waxes finds its use in PVC One Pack Stabilizers, PVC One Pack lubricants, PVC Pipe extrusions, PVC Moulding & Calendaring, Plastic Master batches, Plastic & Polymers compounding, Rubber Compounding, Polishes, Printing inks, Paper coating, Electrical cable sleeves, Tyres, Paints among many others. They are also often used to reduce viscosity of paraffin’s and make them suitable for many versatile applications.