lastic
Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most commonly used thermoplastics in the world. Polypropylene uses range from plastic packaging, plastic parts for machinery and equipment and even fibres and textiles. It is a rigid, semi-crystalline thermoplastic that was first polymerised in 1951 and is used widely today in a range of domestic and industrial applications. Today, global demand for polypropylene is estimated at around 45 metric tons and this figure continues to rise exponentially.
Polypropylene has a slippery, tactile surface, making it ideal for
It is highly resistant to chemical corrosion, making it an excellent choice for packaging for
It offers excellent fatigue resistance and elasticity, securing it a well-deserved reputation for toughness and durability.Polypropylene has high insulation properties too, making it safe to use for plastic casing in electrical goods and cables. In its fibre form, polypropylene uses are not limited to not only useful for tote bags but also encompass a much wider range of other products, including ropes, twine, tape, carpets, upholstery, clothing and camping equipment. Its waterproof properties make it especially effective for the marine sector. In the automotive industry, polypropylene is also used widely, for example in for battery casings, trays and drink holders, bumpers, interior details, instrumental panels and door trims.
Finally, the medical world appreciates the waterproof properties of polypropylene too, as well as its flexible strength, resistance to mould, bacteria and chemical corrosion. It cleans well a sit can stand up to steam sterilisation methods. Some medical applications include,
This versatile thermoplastic and polymer are popular due to its highly flexible properties, lighter density and ability to adapt to a range of fabrication techniques. The different variations in polypropylene have led the material to be known as the ‘steel’ of the plastic industry, as it can be used and manipulated a number of ways.
Homopolymers contain only propylene monomers in semi-crystalline form Main uses include textiles, packaging, pipes, medical components and electrical applications.
Copolymers are divided into random copolymers and block copolymers, produced by polymerising propene and ethene together. Copolymers contain higher amounts of ethylene, which result in an increase in desirable properties within the polypropylene. They are softer than homopolymers but have better impact strength.
Polypropylene can function as both a plastic and fibre type of thermoplastic. This allows for a vastly increased range of uses. It can be used as a fibre, such as in the manufacture of promotional tote bags and ‘bag for life’ shopping carriers. It is soft, malleable and has a relatively low melting point, making it very easy to be used in the injection moulding process, where it is supplied in pellets. It flows well too, due to its low melt viscosity.
Due to the fact that polypropylene adapts well to the injection moulding process, it can be used to make incredibly thin layers of plastic. It is very suited to applications such as
Polypropylene can even withstand twisting motions of up to 360 degrees without snapping and is very hard to snap as a result. It is relatively low cost and straightforward to produce and readily available in multiple countries and communities.
High chemical and fatigue resistance add to its durability and versatility as a packaging material and option for hinges and bottle tops attached to the main bottle by a thin layer of plastic. It can offer great versatility in colour, as it can be produced as an opaque or transparent thermoplastic and used when some transfer of light is desired. Its lighter density allows it to be used in applications where weight saving has to be a key consideration.
Polypropylene is waterproof and extremely resistant to moisture absorption, which adds to its packaging benefits and flexibility as a packaging material. Its semi-crystalline nature offers high flexural strength too, making it resilient to general wear and tear and ideal for items that must undergo higher levels of physical stress. It is also resilient against mildew, mould, rot and bacteria.
One key disadvantage when it comes to the wider environment and preservation of global resources is the fact that polypropylene is not conducive to being easily recycled. When it burns, it produces a chemical change that cannot be reversed. If you tried to re-heat polypropylene that has already been melted and formed, it would simply burn, rather than liquify for a second time. Other recycling or re-conditioning methods must be considered, at a significantly higher cost.
This low melting point also means that polypropylene is highly flammable and limited in its ability to withstand higher temperatures and it is also susceptible to UV degradation and oxidation. Finally, while polypropylene’s glossy finish makes it aesthetically pleasing and easy to handle, this exact same property also makes it harder to bond to other surfaces and materials, such as paints and glues. Alternative bonding methods, such as welding must be introduced when using polypropylene to make a joint or hinge.
While some potentially toxic chemicals are used in the manufacture of polypropylene, it is generally regarded as a safe finished product and is commonly used in plastic packaging that includes food and drink products and medical supplies. While it is not considered very eco-friendly, due to difficulties in the recycling process, items made from polypropylene can be re-used safely and are strong enough to resist normal wear and tear for several uses. Another point that points towards the safety of polypropylene is that the thermoplastic is frequently used to make
The key difference between polypropylene and plastic is that crystal clear material can be produced from polypropylene, whereas plastic material is not usually clear.
If we are to use a bag for the packaging of a commodity, we tend to use a material for packaging considering the properties of the material. If we want to expose the commodity, we need a bag that is crystal clear. Plastic bags are not a good choice in this case since they are not clear. However, polypropylene is one of the best choices for this purpose.
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Polypropylene
3. What is Plastic
4. Side by Side Comparison – Polypropylene vs Plastic in Tabular Form
5. Summary
Polypropylene is a plastic polymer. The monomer of polypropylene is propylene; it has three carbons and one double bond between two of those carbon atoms. We can manufacture this material from propylene gas in the presence of a catalyst such as titanium chloride. Furthermore, the production of this material is easy, and it gives a high purity.
Polypropylene’s important properties are as follows.
Therefore, this material is useful for the production of pipes, containers, houseware, packaging, and automotive parts.
Plastic is a polymer with a large molecular mass. The monomers of plastic are either natural or synthetic. The production of plastic is mainly from petrochemicals. Hence, it is a synthetic polymer. The two major types of plastics are thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers. Thermoplastics becomes soft when we heat it, and if we cool it, it solidifies again. Therefore, with continuous heating and cooling, we can change the shape without a problem (e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, polystyrene).
However, if we heat and cool thermosetting polymers, it hardens permanently. When we heat it, it can be moulded, but if heated again, it will decompose (E.g., Bakelite, which is used to make handles of pots and pans).
Plastics are very useful in different forms; for example, bottles, bags, boxes, fibres, films, etc. They are very resistant to chemicals and are thermal and electric insulators. Different plastics have different strengths, but they generally have a lightweight. We can produce this material via condensation and addition reactions. Furthermore, it is possible to make crosslink between polymer chains in the synthesizing process. For instance, we can produce polyethylene by an addition reaction of the monomer ethylene. Moreover, its repeating unit is –CH2-.
Nevertheless, depending on the way it undergoes polymerization, the properties of the synthesized polyethylene changes. For example, PVC or polyvinyl chloride is similar to polyethylene, with a monomer of CH2=CH2Cl, but the difference is that the PVC has chlorine atoms. Also, PVC is rigid and useful in manufacturing pipes.
Plastic is a polymer with a large molecular mass. Polypropylene is an example of a plastic polymer. The key difference between polypropylene and plastic is that we can produce crystal clear material from polypropylene, whereas plastic material is not usually clear. Moreover, we can produce polypropylene from the propylene gas in the presence of a catalyst such as titanium chloride, but we produce plastic from petrochemicals.
Furthermore, there is some notable difference between polypropylene and plastic in their properties. The important properties of polypropylene include lightweight, low toxicity, high melting point, etc. while the properties of plastic include corrosion resistance, low thermal and electrical conductivity, colour, low cost, etc.
Plastic is a polymer that has a large molecular mass. Polypropylene is an example of a plastic polymer. The key difference between polypropylene and plastic is that we can produce crystal clear material from polypropylene, whereas plastic material is not usually clear.
1. “PolypropyleneItemsForLaboratoryUse” By DED Biotechnology – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. By Rodolph at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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