HDPE Granules (Virgin HDPE)
Virgin HDPE granules are the premium source of HDPE for all HDPE applications. A 
product of crude oil, virgin HDPE is suitable for use in food packaging, toys, furniture, pipes, and many more applications. Virgin HDPE typically comes in the form of virgin HDPE granules, which must be melted by the end user to obtain liquid HDPE which can then be used in blow molding, injection molding, and the production of film or pipes. Virgin HDPE granules are advantageous in many respects. Their small size results in a quicker melt time, and also a more homogeneous HDPE mix, and transport is also made more simple by the free flowing nature of HDPE granules.
Production Of Virgin HDPE Granules
Virgin HDPE is made by ‘cracking’ naphtha. When naphtha is heated to high temperatures its molecular structure breaks down and it releases ethylene gas. Ethylene is the sole ingredient of HDPE, HDPE being an acronym standing for High Density Polyethylene. Of course, in gaseous form ethylene is of little use, so it must be transformed into polyethylene via one of several reactions.
When ethylene is exposed to high temperatures and pressures, it naturally forms long chains and becomes polyethylene. It is not commercially viable for ethylene to be heated to the great temperatures and pressures needed for this reaction to take place naturally however, so commercial production of HDPE involves catalytic reactions in which a catalyst is added to the ethylene gas to enable polymerization to take place at lower temperatures. Different processes use different catalysts, but all produce high quality HDPE. There is no great difference in the type of HDPE produced during the different types of catalytic reaction, as a catalyst is by definition a substance which is not expressed or included in the product of a reaction.
The Philips catalyst slurry process and the Ziegler catalyst solution process are two of the most commonly used processes in the manufacturing of HDPE today. It should be noted that these processes are capable of producing many different types of polyethylene, from low density LDPE to high density HDPE. Various ‘grades’ of HDPE can also be produced by controlling various elements of the reaction.
The result of the polymerization of ethylene is a translucent viscous liquid which quickly cools and hardens to form a solid. Before the newly produced virgin HDPE solidifies, manufacturers pipe the liquid virgin HDPE through a die and cut it into small sections, which cool to form small solid virgin HDPE granules.
HDPE Granules Supplier
We source virgin (and reporcessed) HDPE granules of all grades. Please contact us through the below form and let us know your detailed requirements. We will get back to you with current HDPE availability and price quotation