09.21.06
HDPE
HDPE – High Density polyethylene…the workhorse of plastics. We use this material in everything from milk jugs to park benches. It is the most widely used resin in the industry. It can be blended with many other resins to change its physical properties. Its flexure temperature is around 220 deg F. with an extrusion temperature of 350 to 450 deg F. This resin can be injection molded, extruded in to tubing and film, it can be cast extruded, thermoformed, vacuum formed and among other methods. The colors are unlimited and the shape is only set by the imagination. There are additives to make it degradable, it has a good resistance to MVT and is great to be used in the freezer…not causing freezer burn during food storage.
In packaging it is used as a monolayer film or as an integral layer to a co extruded or laminated film; providing additional barrier properties warranted by the application. it is not transparent in its natural extruded form but ther are HDPE resins available that do have a high degree of clarity. Its tensile and dart strength is fantastic compared to other resins with weakness in elongation. The recycling symbol for this resin is “2″ and is verily easily reclaimed and recycled in a closed loop standard recycling system.
