ABSTRACT
Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) is a synthetic elastomer produced by the controlled chlorination of polyethylene and has been in commercial production since the late 1960s [1-3]. The properties of the CPE product are influenced by a number of factors, which include the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution (MWD) of the starting polyethylene, the chlorine content, and the chlorine distribution. In addition, the chlorination process can be adjusted to produce amorphous, that is, low-to noncrystalline products, or products that contain higher levels of residual polyethylene crystallinity. A variety of different CPE grades can be produced in this manner and thereby offer the compounder numerous opportunities to achieve a wide range of properties for different applications.
