Polyethylene is not a new material, but has continued to find ways of re-inventing itself during 85-year history.  In the mid-2000’s, the escalation of US energy pricing was predicted to bring an end to chemical and plastics manufacturing in the United States.  Instead, 2020 will see the end of the “first wave” of approximately 50% more polyethylene capacity added over a 4 year time frame.  This presentation will examine the reasons for this resurgence in investment: the importance of the material to the global economy, the role of shale exploration and development, as well as new challenges associated with sustainability and the need for better end-of-life value capture of plastics.

North American polyethylene renaissance: Unprecedented growth from an 85-year-old innovation

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.