In the world of plastic bags, polyethylene, or PE, reigns supreme, with most plastic bags being made from LDPE, or its slighter less familiar relative, LLDPE.
Let’s peel back some layers and investigate both of these materials.
What Is LDPE?
First produced in 1933 by the Imperial Chemical Industries, LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is a free-radical polymerized form of the plastic monomer ethylene that has a relatively low density and a high degree of flexibility, even at low temperatures.
LDPE is commonly used in the production of containers, bottles, tubing, bags, molded equipment, and a wide range of other consumer products.
Advantages of LDPE
Because of its low density and high flexibility, LDPE possesses numerous advantages over many other synthetics.
● It is highly flexible even at low temperatures (although it is not particularly resistant to high temperatures).
● It is resistant to chemical attack and is fairly stable.
● Certain grades of 100% virgin LDPE are suitable, as well as FDA and USDA-approved, for direct food contact.
● LDPE is fairly strong and resistant to tearing and puncturing; when stressed, it is more likely to stretch than rip or tear.
● It is moisture and impact resistant
● LDPE is very cost-effective.
What Is LLDPE?
LLDPE, or linear low-density polyethylene, is as the name would suggest, a specific grade of LDPE. This is a type of LDPE that consists chiefly of short linear branches of copolymerized ethylene with olefins, which are special hydrocarbon molecules that extend the length of the LLDPE molecules.
Like LDPE, LLDPE is light, strong, and highly flexible, even at low temperatures. The chief difference is that it is more resistant to tearing – when stressed, LLDPE has excellent tensile strength and will stretch substantially before tearing or yielding.
Advantages of LLDPE
Like LDPE, and because of its low weight, high strength and flexibility, LLDPE has numerous advantages over other polymers, even over LDPE:
● LLDPE has higher chemical resistance than LDPE.
● LLDPE has superior mechanical properties in the face of high and low temperatures.
● LLDPE has superior flexibility and is more resistant to cracking than LDPE.
● Like LDPE, certain grades of virgin LLDPE are approved for direct food contact, making them suitable for the food service industry.
● It is also moisture, impact-resistant, and affordable.
Advantages of Both
Both LDPE and LLDPE, like HDPE (high-density polyethylene), are made of polyethylene, so all of them offer some additional unique benefits, such as:
● Affordability.
● Low weight, great flexibility, and strength, especially at low temperatures.
● Resistance to chemical attack.
● All forms of PE are moisture resistant.
● All forms are fairly durable.
● All forms can be easily recycled and are not considered to release harmful toxins into the environment when they are.
Wholesale Plastic Bags at Great Prices
Armed with this information about the different types of poly bags, you can better choose which types of plastic packaging products are best for your organization’s merchandise bags or product packaging.
For your wholesale plastic bags, visit Edco Source online at EdcoSource.com – the easy way to buy bags. They carry:
● Reclosable bags
● Static control bags
● Wholesale poly bags
● Flat poly bags
● Gusseted poly bags
● Poly tubing
● Trash cans and liners
● Mattress bags
● Shrink bags and film
● Mailing and shipping supplies
● And a wide range of specialty plastic packaging products and bags
In addition to these, Edco Source sells numerous other types of bulk plastic bags at wholesale prices. Visit their website today to learn more!
