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Qenos
Altona Chemical Complex
Botany Industrial Park
Olefins Manufacturing Sites
Production of Ethylene
Polyethylene Manufacturing Sites
Polyethylene Products
Laboratory Tests and
Quality Control
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CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction to Qenos 2
Altona Chemical Complex 6
Botany Industrial Park 8
Introduction to Qenos Olefins (Altona)
and Olefines (Botany) Manufacturing Sites 10
Production of Ethylene 11
Introduction to the Qenos Polyethylene
Manufacturing Sites 16
Manufacture of Polyethylene Products 22
Laboratory Tests and Quality 25
Glossary of terms 28
Acknowledgments 30
1
Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
2
Introduction to Qenos
Qenos’ Altona site is one of the largest employers in Through these water efficiency and water recycling
Melbourne’s western suburbs. Qenos has established open initiatives, Qenos has also reduced trade waste generation.
lines of communication with the community. Employees Sources of the trade waste include boilers, cooling towers,
who live nearby are encouraged to become involved in local demineralization plant purges and contaminated water
activities. Qenos maintains a high level of awareness on from the process plants.
issues affecting the environment and community. This
approach is also taken with the Qenos Botany site which
is part of the Botany Industrial Park.
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
Qenos continually monitors and measures wastes and These regulations and standards were developed to
emissions and has significantly reduced the amount of cater for a vast range of chemicals in everyday use. Qenos
industrial waste to landfill. A highlight of this reduction recognises that there will always be the potential for
was turning waste into a valuable commercial product chemicals to do harm which is why we take all precautions
stream. Qenos developed a new wax product from the to ensure that accidents are kept to a minimum by
waste polyethylene wax produced at the Altona facilities. displaying Hazardous Chemical signs and training staff
This not only generated sales revenue, but also reduced to handle all chemicals in a correct and safe manner.
very high waste disposal costs. Qenos sells approximately
Specific information is required to be located on the label
700 tones/annum of this wax product as a feedstock to
of every package of dangerous goods. The regulations also
third parties. This outcome was possible through the
specify how storage areas are to be designed, constructed
Rewards Grant program delivered through the partnership
and located in order to minimise the risk of accidents.
between Plastics And Chemicals Industries Association
Other requirements include the separation and segregation
(PACIA) and EPA Victoria.
of goods which may react dangerously together.
A key project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has
Qenos provides protection for its workers by supplying
been the Altona Cogeneration facility, a $45M project
them with sealed systems, personal protective clothing
commissioned in 2013. The Cogeneration facility burns
and Qenos has a medical centre which provides regular
natural gas to produce steam and virtually all of the Qenos
health checks and education on health issues as well as
Altona electricity needs. This is a more efficient method of
conducting the initial treatment of injuries. In all cases
producing electricity than the regular coal fired generators
where chemicals are handled in the workplace, a range of
in the Latrobe Valley because the heat from the process is
personal protective equipment is available to the worker, the
also put to good use.
type and range of which varies from chemical to chemical.
Further details regarding Qenos’ mains water use, trade
Classifications are given to chemicals by various bodies
waste generation, energy efficiency and emissions can be
including Worksafe Australia. Qenos strictly adheres to
found in the Qenos Sustainability Report, accessible via
these regulations and pertinent information about each
the Qenos website.
chemical is contained in its Material Safety Data Sheet
which details:
SAFE HANDLING OF CHEMICALS
• Trade and chemical names and other identification
• Short and long term health effects
• First aid information and advice to doctors
• Occupational exposure standard
• Fire and firefighting information
• Storage and reactivity data
• Spill leak procedures
• Personal protective equipment requirements
Qenos continues to search for alternatives or substitutes
for some chemicals currently used in production, which
will maintain high quality in the end product and improve
handling and storage safety.
4
Introduction to Qenos
5
Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
ALTONA CHEMICAL COMPLEX Bass Strait reached peak oil production in 1985, when a
record average of 500,000 barrels per day was produced.
Qenos forms a large part of the Altona Chemical Oil production from Bass Strait is in decline and fell to an
Complex. This complex is the largest production centre average of 83,000 barrels per day in 2005-2006.
for petrochemicals and plastics in Australia. A 600 km network of undersea pipelines, valves and pumps
There are five manufacturing plants in the Complex. link the platforms and carry the various hydrocarbons from
These are: the offshore platforms to the onshore processing facilities
at Longford near Sale (217 km east of Melbourne). The gas
• Qenos Olefins manufacturing
processing and crude oil stabilisation plant is capable of
• Qenos Plastics manufacturing processing more than 500,000 barrels per day of LPG and
• Qenos Resins manufacturing more than 26 million cubic metres of gas per day in its
• BASF Australia Limited three plants. The gas plants remove heavy hydrocarbons
• Dow Chemical (Australia) Limited from natural gas, leaving sales quality gas for distribution
Whilst Qenos, BASF and Dow each operate independently, to consumers.
they gain from sharing raw materials and services. The crude oil stabilisation facilities remove the light
Building a major chemical complex is expensive. It would hydrocarbons in crude oil which would evaporate when
cost nearly $2 billion to build a new complex. stored at atmospheric pressure and temperature.
The economic advantages of the complex for the Western Liquids processed at Longford are delivered via two 220 km
Suburbs and the Victorian economy are considerable and pipelines to the Long Island Point fractionation plant and
it is one of the state’s biggest industrial operations. crude oil tank farm, located 72 km from Melbourne on
Western Port Bay (refer to figure 1). Here the crude oil is
stored and distributed while the LPG (liquified petroleum
RAW MATERIALS gas) is further refined and distributed. The lighter
Qenos Olefins manufacturing and the rest of the Complex components are fractionated as butane, propane and
depend on the ready availability of Bass Strait petroleum ethane. Long Island Point has an oil storage capacity of
products and natural gas for their operations. approximately 300 ML, which is enough for 2.5 days use.
From Long Island Point crude oil is loaded into tankers at
the Long Island Point pier and transported 11 km via
BASS STRAIT pipeline to the Crib Point Jetty for loading into tankers.
There are currently 23 offshore production platforms Refineries at Altona and Geelong are served by the 135 km
operating in Bass Strait, which, over the past 45 years, Western Port/ Altona/Geelong (WAG) pipeline.
have produced almost 4 billion barrels of crude oil, 7 trillion
Source: Australian Institute of Petroleum Ltd. Melbourne.
cubic feet of gas, 700 million barrels of LPG and 15 million
barrels of ethane (one barrel is equivalent to approximately
160 litres).
Mobil
Mobil
Altona
Altona
Refinery
Refinery
Qenos
Qenos olefins
olefins
Crude
Crude
ooil
il
ppipeline
ipeline
Shell
Shell
Geelong
Geelong
LPG
LPGppipeline
ipeline
Longford
Longford
Long
Island
Long Island
Point
Point
monotower
monotower mini
minipplatform
latform
developments
developments conventional
conventional
platform
platform
Figure 1 Ethane pipeline under the bay. Supply of raw materials to Qenos Olefins
6
Altona Chemical Complex
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
References
8
Altona Chemical Complex
Esso/ Pygas
Quench oil Qenos Resins Polyethylene
BHPB Gippsland Crude Mobil
Altona Refinery
Tar
Import Refinery
Feedstocks
Export
Figure 3 The Altona Chemical Complex from the air Figure 4 The Botany Industrial Park
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
INTRODUCTION TO QENOS OLEFINS The furnaces are at the heart of the process. The feedstock
(LPG or ethane) is passed through tubes in the furnace.
(ALTONA) AND OLEFINES (BOTANY) Steam is added to the furnace at controlled rates in order
MANUFACTURING SITES to increase yield and minimise coke formation (carbon
matter) in the furnace tubes.
Qenos, supplies essential raw materials to the Australian
Coke deposits act as an insulator inhibiting the ability to
plastics and general chemical industries from its olefins
‘crack’ at optimum conditions.
manufacturing plants.
The remainder of the plant separates and purifies the
The olefins produced are ethylene and propylene. These are
hydrocarbons into their final product forms.
used to manufacture a wide range of plastics and general
chemicals in Australia. Also produced, as by-products, are The separation of these streams takes place in distillation
pygas and quench oil/tar. towers, in which the lighter and lower boiling point
materials rise to the top of the tower, and the heavier and
Qenos Olefins in Altona obtains feedstocks from two
higher boiling point materials are taken out at the bottom.
locations. Ethane is piped from the Esso-BHPB fractionation
plant at Long Island Point on Westernport Bay and LPG In 1961, the capacity of the plant was 45,000 tonnes of
(propane/butane) comes by pipeline from the Mobil Altona ethylene per year and 21,000 tonnes of butadiene per year.
Refinery.
Today, Qenos Olefins produces more than 200,000 tonnes
The production of ethylene and propylene at the Qenos of ethylene per year.
Olefins plant continues 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Also produced are approximately 10,000 tonnes each of
All stages of the operation are continuous and
propylene, butene, pygas and quench/oil tar.
automatically controlled, with extensive use being made
of computer based technology to assist the operators to The propylene is provided to LyondellBasell in Geelong for
run the plant. use as feedstock in their polypropylene plant.
As stated, Qenos Olefins uses two feedstocks, ethane and The pygas is exported and the quench oil/tar is returned to
LPG. Petrochemicals are made from these. The process of the Mobil Altona Refinery for blending.
separating the molecular chain of these feedstocks is
The Qenos Olefines site at Botany is a similar process using
called ‘cracking’.
a similar mix of feedstocks.
The section ‘Production of Ethylene’ outlines this process
in detail.
10
Introduction to Qenos Olefins (Altona) and Olefines (Botany) Manufacturing Sites / Production of Ethylene
H H
C C
H H
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
ETHYLENE PRODUCTION
Step 1 Step 2
Steam Quench Tower
30ºC
Water Step 4
Treating
Step 3
Gas compressor
Ethane Step 5
1 2 3 Acetylene 3500 kPa Chilling train To
converter distillation
Heat exchangers towers
Steam NaOH
4
Steam Caustic
tower Spent caustic processing Water and salt
Water Water
Step 6 CO2
Fractionation
Hydrogen
methane Ethylene to Ethane recycle
fuel gas customers to furnaces
Distillation
towers
SCAL-1
12
Production of Ethylene
Step 1 Step 2
Steam Quench Tower
STEP 1 – STEAM CRACKER/FURNACE
30ºC • The ethane is pumped through at a rapid rate as there is
Water an4optimum time for the cracking reaction to transpire.
Step
Treating
Step 3 There has to be enough time for a high yield of ethylene
Gas compressor
to be produced but not too long so that the ethylene itself
Ethane Step 5Typical
is cracked to form lower value by-products.
1 2 3 Acetylene 3500 kPa Chilling train To
residence times for the molecules in the furnace tubes
converter distillation
Heat exchangers towers
are less than one second.
Steam
• NaOH
Low hydrocarbon concentration
4
Steam Caustic
Steptower
1 STEP 22 –
Step
Spent QUENCHING
caustic processing Water and salt
Water Water Steam Quench Tower
30ºC
Figure 7 Cracking step Step 6 CO2 Step 4
Fractionation Water
Treating
Step 3
The ethane, piped from BassHydrogen
Strait via Long
methane
Island Point,
Ethylene to Ethane recycle Gas compressor
is fed into five gas-fired furnaces.
fuel gas customers
Ethane
to furnaces
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
Step 2 STEP 3 – GAS COMPRESSOR The caustic’s tower’s purpose is to remove these unwanted
Quench Tower
chemicals from the ethylene. In this tower, the gas stream
30ºC
is contacted with dilute sodium hydroxide (“caustic”). The
Step 4
Water
Treating following reactions occur in the caustic tower:
Step 3
Gas compressor 2NaOH(aq)+H2S(g) Na2S(aq)+ 2H2O(aq)
Step 5
1 2 3 Acetylene 2NaOH(aq)+CO
3500 kPa 2(g)train
Chilling Na2CO3(aq)+ H2O(aq)
To
converter distillation
The waste sodium hydroxide
Heat exchangers stream is removed from the
towers
14
stillation
30ºC
Water Step 4
Treating
Step 3
Gas compressor
Production of Ethylene
Step 5
1 2 3 Acetylene 3500 kPa Chilling train To
converter distillation
Heat exchangers towers
STEP 6 – FRACTIONATION
Step 6 CO2
Fractionation
Hydrogen Vapour
methane Ethylene to Ethane recycle
fuel gas customers to furnaces
Bottoms product (liquid) Reboiler
Demethaniser De-ethyleniser De-ethaniser Heating
Contains ethane and heavier materials
medium
such as propylene and butadiene
To de-ethaniser
Distillation
towers ETHYLENE MANUFACTURE – SUMMARY
The production of ethylene occurs via a number of
processing steps known as “unit operations”:
SCAL-1 • Steam cracking in the furnaces
• Heat exchange
Figure 12 Fractionation process • Compression
• Distillation
There are three distillation columns. The way in which
• Catalytic reaction
one of these columns works is shown in figure 14.
• Steam generation
The first column is the de-methaniser. This separates out • Molecular-sieve drying
hydrogen and methane from the remaining components.
The hydrogen and methane are used as fuel gas, ie. as a
WHAT ENGINEERS DO?
substitute for natural gas.
• Plant monitoring/trouble shooting
The remaining heavy gas exits from the bottom of the
• Design for plant modifications
de-methaniser (e.g. ethylene and ethane), and is then
• Design for new projects
fed into the second distillation column.
• Process control hardware/software
This is called the de-ethyleniser. This column
• Design/selection/installation
separates ethylene from the heavier components of
• Plant supervision
the de-methaniser bottom.
It operates at a pressure of 1950 kPa, (nine times the ETHYLENE MANUFACTURE FROM LIQUID
pressure in your car tyre) and produces ethylene product
PETROLEUM GAS
at purity greater than 99.85 %wt.
Qenos Olefins also produces ethylene using a flexible
The ethylene product is heated to 20°C and sent, via feed mix of LPG and ethane in a completely separate
a pipeline, to Qenos Resins and the Qenos Plastics plant to the ethane cracking plant. The process of
manufacturing plants. ethylene manufacture from LPG is very similar to the
The third column, the de-ethaniser, separates ethane ethane cracking process.
from the propylene and heavier components in the
de-ethyleniser bottoms.
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
Manufacturing Conditions:
• High Pressure
• High Temperature
• Catalyst
• Ethylene
PE Type:
• Long Branches relative to the Backbone
• Short chain branches also produced
16
Introduction to the Qenos Polyethylene Manufacturing Sites
17
Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
The purity of the ethylene feedstock is crucial in low SLURRY POLYMERISATION PROCESS
pressure polymerisation as the catalyst is attracted to
The slurry process is another form of low pressure
reactions with polar compounds, such as water or oxygen.
polymerisation.
If contaminated feedstreams ( C2H4, C4H8, C6H12, H2, N2 )
enter the process, then the catalyst is rendered inactive Qenos Resins makes polymers in a slurry process, meaning
for polymerisation. that the polymerisation reaction takes place in a saturated
hydrocarbon solvent filled reactor.
The reactor is a very simply designed vessel. A ‘bed’ of
polyethylene powder is supported on a perforated plate Following the polymerisation the solvent is removed and
and the recycled ethylene gas enters the bottom of the recovered for reuse; the polyethylene powder then goes
reactor, passes through the perforated distributor plate, through a number of drying stages.
lifts the bed and holds it in a fluidized state similar to
The polymer powder is stored in silos before being processed
boiling water or quicksand.
through compounding, where raw polyethylene powder is
From the top of the reactor, the gas returns through the processed together with processing stabilisers and if
compressor and cooler back to the bottom of the reactor. necessary light stabilisers through an extruder and pelletizer.
As the catalyst converts the ethylene to polyethylene, the
The product from this process (polyolefin granules) is sold
bed level increases, so the product is discharged to keep
to end users in 25 kg bags, one tonne bulker bags or road
the level constant.
tankers. See Figure 2.
The fluidised polyethylene is cooled and forms a fine
powder called ‘fluff’. Batches of 250 to 500 kg of ‘fluff’ HIGH PRESSURE AUTOCLAVE PROCESS
are conveyed to the fluff storage bins every few minutes.
Qenos’ Alkathene® LDPE is manufactured using the high
The manufacturing process is presented schematically
pressure autoclave process developed by ICI at its Botany
in figure 4.
(NSW) plant. See Figure 3.
Compounding is the next processing stage and consists
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is produced by the
of a mixing stage and an extrusion stage.
high pressure free-radical polymerisation of ethylene.
During the mixing stage, additives are mixed with the base Pressures between 120 – 170 MPa and temperatures
resin to form a molten material. between 170 – 300°C are used in the process. The
polymerisation is carried out in a stirred autoclave reactor.
Additives are used to protect the plastic against
degradation and to make it easier for Qenos’ customers The polymerisation reaction involves free-radical initiation,
to process at their plants. polymer chain propagation and radical combination and
chain transfer. The polymerisation is initiated by one or
After the mixing stage, the molten material is passed
several of a range of free-radical producing compounds
through an extruder that cuts, cools, and forms the
such as peroxides.
material into small pellets. The polyethylene product is
then packaged into bulk containers. Offsite packaging Initiation
facilities then repack into bags or semi-bulk containers
• •
as requested by customers. R1—O—O—R2 R1—O + R2—O
This raw material is able to be transformed into a wide The molecular weight is determined by chain transfer using
variety of end products, such as milk bottles, pipes and alkanes as the chain transfer agent. Short chain branching,
children’s toys. mainly ethyl and butyl groups is produced by intramolecular
chain transfer via a “backbiting” mechanism. Long chain
branches are produced by intermolecular transfer between a
QENOS ALKATUFF
completed polymer molecule and a growing polymer radical.
The Qenos Alkatuff site at Botany in NSW also uses the
Propagation
Unipol Gas Phase process.
18
Introduction to the Qenos Polyethylene Manufacturing Sites
CH2 CH2
Additive
feeding
Solvent
Extruding
Catalyst
injection
Powder storage
Pellet
Storage
Distillation
Ethylene
intake
Packaging &
Slurry reactor distribution
Solvent Solvent Steam
Solvent Solvent
removal removal Drying
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
Purified ethylene
Low pressure 10–100 MPa 70–350 MPa
Initiator
Primary Secondary
compressor compressor
Recycled
ethylene
Stirred
Autoclave
Separator
10–100 MPa
Return
gas
cooler
Blowdown
(Wax removal)
Low-pressure
Return separator
gas Additive
cooler feeding
Blowdown
(Wax removal)
Extruding
Packaging &
distribution
20
Introduction to the Qenos Polyethylene Manufacturing Sites
Compressor
Catalyst
storage
tank
Ethylene to
recovery
Fluidised-bed
reactor
Product
discharge
Catalyst tank
feeder
Ethylene
Comonomer
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Additive
feeding
Packaging &
distribution
Extruding
21
Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
MANUFACTURE OF POLYETHYLENE
PRODUCTS
Qenos customers use the polyethylene raw material made
by Qenos to manufacture a wide variety of goods. Different
grades of polyethylene and different processes are used
depending on their end use requirements.
EXTRUSION – FILM
Extruded film applications use up the largest portion of
Qenos polyethylene resin. Familiar items such as cling
wrap, garbage bags and dry cleaning bags are the major
market areas for the finished product.
22
Manufacture of Polyethylene Products
ROTATIONAL MOULDING
Qenos polyethylene resin is commonly used in the
manufacture of rotationally moulded products such as
boats, canoes, spheres, buoys, playground equipment and Figure 21 Extrusion of pipe, wire and cable
large tanks and water tanks of up to 45000 litres capacity.
Pipe extrusion is a continuous process for the manufacture
of uniform hollow products of various wall thicknesses and
diameters. To extrude pipe, the molten plastic is passed
through a sizing unit to ensure the correct dimensions,
and a cooling medium that solidifies the product.
23
Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
24
Manufacture of Polyethylene Products / Laboratory Test and Quality
CONTROL
Quality assurance and quality control are two terms which
are often used interchangeably.
25
Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
(4) Plant and Process Support – Technical Centre facilities • Qenos Laboratory Manual, covering Management,
and resources provide analytical, troubleshooting Technical & Business Requirements
and process development support to plants. Plant • LIMS systems for laboratory data management and
laboratories systems and protocols are defined, distribution
supported and stewarded by Technical Centre personnel. • Calibration, Maintenance & Training management
(5) Quality Systems Management – Technical Centre systems, purpose designed and developed for the
personnel are responsible for stewardship and laboratory environment
development of company quality systems • Quality Incident Reporting and Root Cause Analysis
systems
The quality of the services provided by the Technical
Centre is a point of focus for all Technical Centre personnel
because it is a measure of how well they meet their
commitments to their customers. An ongoing Technical
Centre goal is to continually improve activities to provide
Qenos with a more efficient, productive and customer
focused outcomes.
PROCESS LABORATORY
There are 14 plastics processing lines located in this
laboratory, most of commercial or semi-commercial
size which cover a wide variety of processes. These lines
include:
QUALITY AT THE QENOS TECHNICAL CENTRE
• injection moulding machines
The Qenos Technical Centre has several certified Quality
• blow moulding machine
Systems which ensures the integrity and quality of the
• rotational moulding machine
testing conducted. These are:
• twin screw & single screw compounding extruders
• AS/NZS ISO 9001 accreditation
• tape line
• NATA accreditation for Chemical & Mechanical Testing
• pipe extrusion line
• AS ISO/IEC 17025 Compliance – Testing & Calibration
• single layer blown film lines
Laboratory Requirements
• compression moulding press
• Type Test Licence for Black Pipe Grades to AS/NZS 4131
There are also a range of blenders and feeders, Brabender
• Type Test License for Roto Mould Grades to AS/NZS 4766
plasticorders and an Accelerated Weatherometer unit.
Quality systems, guided by the requirements of ISO17025,
have been developed specifically for the Technical Centre The Process Laboratory is also home to one of the largest
to ensure a high standard of reliable and accurate service Hydrostatic Pipe Testing facilities in Australia consisting of
to our customers. Key tools for quality management at the 14 baths with up to 27 stations per bath.
Technical Centre include: Using the processing equipment available, the Qenos
Technical Centre can evaluate products under conditions
similar to those at our customers.
26
Laboratory Test and Quality
• Thermal Properties
All three laboratories are used to perform Technical
Service, Product Development & Plant Manufacture/Quality
ANALYTICAL TESTING LABORATORY Assurance evaluations. New methods are continually being
developed to improve Qenos’ ability to provide reliable
The Analytical Testing laboratory performs a wide range
information to its customers as well as produce quality
of analytical procedures. These include:
products that meet required specifications.
• Polymer Identification –
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
Catalyst Hydrocarbon
Substance that alters the speed of a chemical reaction and One of a very large group of chemical compounds
may be recovered essentially unaltered (in form and amount) composed only of carbon and hydrogen; the largest source
at the end of the reaction. of hydrocarbons is from petroleum crude oil.
Coagulation Initiator
Change from fluid to more or less solid stage; may result The substance or molecule (other than reactant) that starts
from prolonged heating, addition of an electrolyte, or from a chain reaction, as in polymerization.
a condensation reaction between solute and solvent; an
Monomer
example is the setting of a gel.
Simple molecules such as ethylene and propylene.
Cracking
Olefin
A process that is used to create a number of smaller
molecules from large molecules by breaking the molecular A family of chemically active hydrocarbons with one carbon-
bonds using various thermal, catalytic, or hydrocracking carbon double bond; includes ethylene and propylene.
methods.
Oxidation
Distillation A chemical reaction that increases the oxygen content of
A process of purification which involves producing a gas a compound.
or vapour from a liquid by heating the liquid in a vessel and
Petrochemical
collecting and condensing the vapours into liquids.
Chemical made from feedstocks derived from petroleum
Emulsion or natural gas; examples are ethylene, butadiene, and most
A stable dispersion of one liquid in another (such as oil large-scale plastics and resins.
dispersed in water) that will not mix with each other.
Plastic
Ethane A material (usually organic) that is made of polymers and
A colourless, odourless gas belonging to the alkane series can be shaped by flow. At some stage in its manufacture,
of hydrocarbon (freezing point of -183.3 degrees Celsius every plastic is capable of flowing, under heat and
and a boiling point of -88.6 degrees Celsius); used as fuel pressure, if necessary, into the desired final shape.
and refrigerant and for organic synthesis. Formula: C2H6
Polyethylene
Ethylene A thermoplastic material composed of polymers of
A colourless, flammable gas (boiling at -102.7 degrees ethylene; the resin is synthesised by polymerisation of
Celsius); used for the manufacture of organic chemicals ethylene at elevated temperatures and pressure in the
and polyethylene and as an agricultural chemical and in presence of catalysts. Also known as ethylene resin.
medicine. Also known as ethene; olefiant gas. Formula: C2H4 Formula: CnH2(n+2)
28
Glossary of terms
Polymer
Substance made of giant molecules formed by the joining
of simple molecules (monomers), for example,
polymerisation of ethylene forms a polyethylene chain.
Polymerisation
The bonding of two or more monomers to produce a
polymer. Often involves the production of long-chained
molecules.
Polypropylene, (PP)
A thermoplastic material composed of polymers of
propylene.
Propylene
Colourless unsaturated hydrocarbon gas (boiling point of
-47 degrees Celsius); used to manufacture plastics and as
a chemical intermediate. Also known as methyl ethylene;
propene. Formula: C3H6
Resin
Any class of solid or semi-solid organic products of natural
or synthetic origin with no definite melting point, generally
of high molecular weight; most resins are polymers.
Semi-Crystalline
Polyolefins have two phases or type of solid: a crystalline
phase (which is highly ordered and has a regular structure)
and an amorphous or random phase. The amount of
crystalline and amorphous phases present, determine the
properties of the plastic.
Thermoplastic resin
A material that will repeatedly soften when heated
and harden when cooled; for example, styrene, acrylic,
polyethylene, vinyls, nylons and fluorocarbons.
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Qenos Chemistry Resource Kit 2015
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A number of people from both Qenos and the Education
Department made generous contributions in terms of
technical expertise, curriculum knowledge and time in
order to produce this resource kit. The teachers who gave
much of their own time were: Rosemary Bissett, Rob King,
Rob Sanders and Gayle Smith.
The update in 2001, when the kit changed from being the
Kemcor Resource kit to become the Qenos Resource kit,
was completed by Fiona Wilkes of Qenos. This update
principally reflected the changes in the business in
becoming Qenos.
30
Qenos Pty Ltd
471 Kororoit Creek Rd
Altona Victoria 3018 Australia
Phone 1800 063 573
Fax 1800 638 981
ABN 62 054 196 771
–
qenos.com Qenos is a trade marks of Qenos Pty Ltd