How can you identify polyethylene from FTIR?

Quick answer

polyethylene is usually reported with a recurring pattern of peaks and functional-group evidence. The most useful approach is to cross-check at least two characteristic peaks before treating it as a match, then verify whether the full spectrum still fits the same material family.

Peak interpretation

Possible materials / groups

Spectrum logic

The logic here is evidence aggregation: repeated literature mentions of polyethylene, repeated peak positions, and repeated functional-group associations. A strong material hypothesis should still be supported by multiple peaks that agree with each other, not by one headline band alone.

Real-world usage

This page is designed for polymer identification, incoming-material QC, unknown plastic analysis, recycled-content review, and literature-backed interpretation of reference spectra.

Common mistakes

• Calling a material match too early because one famous peak is present.
• Ignoring sample prep, fillers, oxidation, water, or additives that can change the apparent pattern.
• Using literature evidence without checking whether your own sampling mode and spectrum quality are comparable.

Verification advice

Use DSC, GC-MS, or TGA to validate the material hypothesis when the peak pattern is ambiguous or mixed.

Literature behind this page

• confidence 6.1

  polyethylene

  The investigation of argon plasma surface modification to polyethylene: Quantitative ATR-FTIR spectroscopic analysis DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2006.01.007
• confidence 6.1

  polyethylene

  Occurrence and Composition of Microplastics in the Seabed Sediments of the Coral Communities in Proximity of a Metropolitan Area DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102270
• confidence 6.1

  polyethylene

  Microplastics distribution and characterization in epipsammic sediments of tropical Atlantic Ocean, Nigeria DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2020.101365
• confidence 6.1

  polyethylene

  Gaston 等 - 2016 - FTIR study of ageing of gamma-irradiated biopharma DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2016.03.040
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  polyethylene

  Direct Polypropylene and Polyethylene Liquefaction in CO2 and N2 Atmospheres Using MgO Light and CaO as Catalysts DOI: 10.3390/ma15030844
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  polyethylene

  Enhancement in adsorption potential of microplastics in sewage sludge for metal pollutants after the wastewater treatment process DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.03.069
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  polyethylene

  Evaluation of microplastics isolated from sea cucumber Acaudina molpadioides in Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16822
• confidence 6.1

  polyethylene

  Mukbaniani 等 - 2018 - Composites containing bamboo with different binder DOI: 10.1515/pac-2017-0804
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  polyethylene

  Murphy 等 - 2022 - Assessment of microplastics in Irish river sedimen DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09853
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  Renner 等 - 2022 - A Comparison of Different Approaches for Character DOI: 10.1002/etc.5057