Plastic materials have revolutionized the world of packaging thanks to their versatility, resistance and lightness. Among the main materials used for flexible packaging we find low-density polyethylene (LDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). These materials, although belonging to the same family of thermoplastic polymers, have specific characteristics that make them suitable for different industrial and commercial applications.
Polyethylene (PE) was first synthesized in 1933 by chemists Eric Fawcett and Reginald Gibson at the laboratories of Imperial Chemical Industries. Since then, it has found use in countless sectors thanks to its unique chemical-physical properties. Polypropylene (PP), on the other hand, was discovered in the 1950s by the Italian chemist Giulio Natta, who achieved its industrial synthesis with a highly organized and performing structure.
Plastic films, especially polyethylene and polypropylene, are among the preferred materials for food packaging because, in addition to complying with regulations, they have particular characteristics that make them useful and functional, so much so that they are indispensable for obtaining specific technical performances for food preservation.
Plastic materials, in fact, are perfect for obtaining a good barrier effect. They protect their contents better than most other materials, thanks to their chemical-physical characteristics: they isolate from light, heat, air much more than other packaging materials such as glass, cardboard and aluminum.