- \n
- Polyethylene and polystyrene are both lightweight, versatile thermoplastics, but they differ significantly in strength, form, and applications.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Polyethylene is stronger and more impact-resistant, especially in HDPE and UHMW forms, making it ideal for construction, marine, and food-safe products.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Polystyrene is easier to shape and cut, especially in foam form (like Styrofoam), and is often used for prototypes, packaging, and foodservice containers.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Polyethylene resists chemicals, UV light, and moisture, while polystyrene is more temperature-resistant and cost-effective for disposable or short-term use.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Polyethylene is available in PET, HDPE, LDPE, and UHMW, while polystyrene comes in solid plastic, film, or foam \u2014 each suited to different industries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
Polyethylene<\/h2>\n
Polyethylene was first synthesized by scientists Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett in 1933 when they reacted ethylene with benzaldehyde under extreme heat and pressure. The resulting polymer could be formed into sheets and rods, or drawn into fibers and films. This versatility was one of the defining traits of polyethylene. Today, polyethylene is commonly manufactured in several different forms with vastly different properties:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) \u2013 PET<\/a> is known for its ability to be easily thermoformed for manufacturing and engineering purposes. In its fibrous form, its commonly referred to as polyester. It can also be manufactured with glycol to produce PET-G<\/a>, which is very impact, pressure and heat resistant.<\/li>\n
- Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) \u2013 LDPE is a flexible form of polyethylene with unique flow properties that make it ideal for shaping into a film. It had high ductility but low tensile strength, allowing it to be stretched considerably before breaking.<\/li>\n
- High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) \u2013 HDPE<\/a> is a highly crystalline and dense plastic. This makes it exceptionally solid, durable, and impact resistant. As a result, it is often chosen for applications where a long-lasting or resilient material is needed.<\/li>\n
- Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMW) \u2013 This type of polyethylene is best suited for high-performance applications. It\u2019s much heavier and denser than HDPE. When woven into a fiber, UHMW<\/a> has a higher tensile strength than steel, making UHMW sheets<\/a> ideal for food cabinetry and docks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"polyethylene](\"https:\/\/www.acmeplastics.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/polyethylene-polystyrene-v2.png\")
<\/h3>\nProperties of Polyethylene<\/h3>\n
Polyethylene is the most chemically simple polymer, comprised of nothing but carbon and hydrogen. Due to its molecular makeup, it\u2019s highly resistant to chemicals, UV light, and moisture. As a thermoplastic, it can constantly be melted, reformed, and cooled into new shapes again and again, making it a great candidate for recycling. Polyethylene is also quite durable, making some of its forms popular for packaging heavy items, and other forms ideal for sheer impact resistance.<\/p>\n
Advantages of Polyethylene<\/h3>\n
Polyethylene is known for being exceptionally lightweight for its strength. It also endures contact with many different chemicals, meaning that most household cleaners can be used on polyethylene without causing significant damage. In addition to this, polyethylene can easily be fashioned into many different forms, including sheets<\/a>, rods<\/a>, and blocks, as well as custom shapes. If needed, it\u2019s easy to cut and fabricate most types of polyethylene with basic woodworking tools.<\/p>\n
Polyethylene\u2019s Use Cases<\/h3>\n
Polyethylene has many different use cases due to its versatility. It\u2019s also exceptionally popular for packaging food and drinks as most types of polyethylene are considered food safe by the FDA.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) \u2013 Clothing, bottles, food and pharmaceutical packaging. PET-G is also used as filament for 3D printing<\/li>\n
- Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) \u2013 Zipping food storage bags, plastic wrap, plastic shopping bags.<\/li>\n
- High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) \u2013 Marine board<\/a>, garbage bins, cutting boards<\/a>, milk jugs.<\/li>\n
- Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHME) \u2013 Medical devices and bulletproof vests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Polystyrene<\/h2>\n
Polystyrene, often colloquially referred to as \u201cstyrene<\/a>,\u201d is a polymer that\u2019s created from the monomer styrene, which is a liquid hydrocarbon that\u2019s derived from petroleum. Polystyrene<\/a> has an exceptionally long history, being discovered in 1839 by an apothecary named Eduard Simon. He distilled oils from the American sweetgum tree, and called the resulting compound styrol oxide. However, it wasn\u2019t until 1938 that scientists devised how to commercially manufacture this compound \u2013 once the discovery was made, styrol oxide was renamed to polystyrene.
\nPolystyrene is available in three primary forms, including a hard, impact-resistant plastic, a lightweight foam, and a thin film. This gives polystyrene almost the same amount of versatility as polyethylene.<\/p>\nProperties of Polystyrene<\/h3>\n
Polystyrene is a thermoplastic that\u2019s solid at room temperature but will begin to melt at 210 C. Once melted, polystyrene can be reshaped into new forms, then cooled until solid \u2013 making it a great candidate for recycling. All forms of polystyrene are somewhat resistant to acids and bases, making them reliable for day-to-day usage.<\/p>\n
The foam variety of polystyrene is often referred to as Styrofoam. This foam is rigid but able to absorb and disperse significant pressure due to its structural strength and low density. Despite being expanded with air bubbles, polystyrene foam still retains its moisture-resistant and thermally insulating properties \u2013 which is why hot drinks are often served in polystyrene cups.<\/p>\n
Advantages of Polystyrene<\/h3>\n
Polystyrene is one of the most cost-effective plastics available for purchase. It\u2019s also very simple to cut into shapes using either computer-guided cutting, two-dimensional shaping, or household tools like knives and table saws. This is one of the reasons why engineers commonly use polystyrene, especially in foam form, to create prototypes \u2013 all forms of styrene can be purchased, glued, sanded, cut, and painted very easily. As well, polystyrene can be recycled if it is disposed of properly.<\/p>\n
Polystyrene\u2019s Use Cases<\/h3>\n
Polystyrene has a wide variety of use cases, whether it\u2019s in a hard plastic, foam, or film form. The hard plastic<\/a> is often used for outdoor furniture, test tubes, glasses, toys, computer housings, utensils, and plastic drinking cups. The expanded foam variety to polystyrene is used in packaging, to-go containers, engineering models, and Styrofoam drinking cups. When stretched into a film, polystyrene is often used in vacuum-formed packaging as an inexpensive alternative to polypropylene<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The Key Differences<\/h2>\n
While polystyrene and polyethylene share a few similarities, they have a few defining differences. In its HDPE and UHME forms, polyethylene is far more impact resistant and durable, making it ideal for use in construction. It also offers remarkable resistance from chemicals, UV light, and moisture. Polyethylene is remarkably dense and available in sheets, film, and fibrous forms.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, polystyrene is available in sheet, film, and foam forms. However, polystyrene can be very easily shaped and formed, especially when it is in a foam form. This makes it ideal for engineering purposes. Polystyrene\u2019s low price and ability to withstand temperatures over 200 celsius also makes it exceptionally popular within the foodservice industry.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019d like to take a closer look at the available forms of polystyrene, visit our styrene product page<\/a>. To learn more about the many forms of polyethylene, visit our page for PET<\/a>, PET-G<\/a>, HDPE<\/a>, or UHMW<\/a>. Or, if you have additional questions, contact us<\/a> today.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
- Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHME) \u2013 Medical devices and bulletproof vests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Polyethylene is stronger and more impact-resistant, especially in HDPE and UHMW forms, making it ideal for construction, marine, and food-safe products.<\/span><\/li>\n