Polyethylene

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Polyethylene is a polymer of ethylene. It is non-toxic and easily recycled.

Synthesis

Polyethylene is produced in industrial quantities through the use of catalysts. Common catalysts include chromium trioxide and metallocene. Polyethylene can be produced in-situ using Ethylene as feedstock. The embodied energy of polyethylene is about 100 MJ/kg, depending on the variety. Polyethylene is a synthetic material, and is the most common plastic produced on Earth. This may be true on Mars as well.

Properties

Use

Polyethylene is used widely on Earth, and will likely have many applications in a martian settlement.

References

Wikipedia article

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