150 Polyethylene
Polyethylene (PE) is a light, versatile, synthetic resin made from the polymerization of ethylene. It is the most common plastic in use. As of 2017, over 100 million tons of PE resins are being produced annually, accounting for 34% of the total plastics market.
PE was first synthesized by the German chemist Hans von Pechmann by accident in 1898, and the structure was confirmed by his colleagues Eugen Bamberger and Friedrich Tschirner. The landmark breakthrough in the commercial production of PE began with the development of catalysts that promoted polymerization at mild temperatures and pressures. The first of these was a chromium trioxide–based catalyst discovered in 1951 by Robert Banks and ...
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