ACCIDENTAL STORY OF

POLYETHYLENE - JAFFER S

Polyethylene, popularly known as polythene is one of the ever probable

astounding discoveries in the history of mankind. It was in 1899, a German
chemist, Hans Von Pechmann while working with the process of auto-
decomposition of diazomethane in ether, he observed the accidental formation of
white precipitate in the bottom of his test tube. This event is considered to be the
first stage in the discovery of polyethylene. It was later in 1935, two British
chemists Eric Fawcett and Reginald Gibson laid out the second developmental
stage by obtaining a waxy solid PE while trying to react ethylene with
benzaldehyde at high pressure. The waxy solid PE which was obtained had a
very less potential use due to its low density. The very first industrial use of
polyethylene was made due to the efforts of Imperial Chemical Industries(ICI),
which formulated an irregularly branched LDPE to be used as an insulator for
radar cables in world war II. In the subsequent years, multitude researchers
involved in the process of developing high density PE of which another German
chemist Karl Ziegler succeeded in developing it by the use of an organometallic
compound. LDPE which is of high flexibility finds its major application in the
manufacture of packaging film, trash and grocery bags, agricultural mulch, wire
and cable insulation, squeeze bottles, toys and housewares. LDPE in complexion
with chlorine and sulphur dioxide yields a rubbery solid which withstands higher
temperatures and it is majorly used in the production of hoses, belts, heat-
resistant seals and coated fabrics. HDPE being manufactured at low temperatures
and pressures by Ziegler-Natta catalysts has higher strength and moderate
stiffness enough for its usage in blow- moulded bottles for milk and household
cleaners, and injection moulded pails, bottle caps, appliance housing and toys.
Though the polyethylene finds a wide range of application in various industries it
also has an equal negative impact on the earth’s surrounding and environment.
The major drawback lies in its non-degradability, causing it to take up to 1000
years for the degradation process to take place thereby affecting the ecosystem
and it’s inseparable components. The only way to overcome this issue is to follow
the 3 R's namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle which will greatly reduce the ill-
effects caused by polymer plastics on evergreen environment.