Polypropylene's (PP) intrinsic properties of high stiffness, good tensile strength and inertness toward acids, alkalis and solvents has secured its position in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. In addition, PP’s low density and traditional cost advantage over other thermoplastic polymers make it suitable for applications that are weight and cost conscious.
Injection moulding is the largest PP market but it can also be made into fibres, film and sheet and extruded into pipe and conduit. Polypropylene and its alloys have become the plastic of choice in the automobile industry.
Polypropylene has been one of the fastest growing commodity resins with growth expected to continue at nearly 6%/year. However, global capacity is being expanded at even a faster rate with overcapacity likely to become a problem from 2008. The concentration of capacity growth to the Middle East and Asia Pacific will also change trade patterns.
Polypropylene was first produced in a slurry process using Ziegler-Natta catalysts. Bulk phase technologies were then developed while higher activity catalysts enabled gas phase processes to be used. A combination of bulk phase tubular and gas phase reactors has become a popular process.
Polypropylene is a colourless, translucent to transparent solid with a glossy surface. Polypropylene does not present any risk to the skin. The polymer should not be exposed to flames as it gives off smoke on burning.
Polypropylene
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Polypropylene
Uses and Outlook
Polypropylene's (PP) intrinsic properties of high stiffness, good tensile strength and inertness toward acids, alkalis and solvents, plus its cost advantage over other thermoplastic polymers, has secured its position in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, manufactured by several high-volume forming methods. In addition, its low density and cost advantage over other thermoplastic polymers make it suitable for applications that are weight and cost conscious.
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Polypropylene
Process Technologies
The first commercial production of polypropylene was in the 1950s following the discovery of Ziegler-Natta catalysts. It was produced initially in a slurry process where propylene is reacted in the presence of a catalyst in solvent to produce a mixture of crystalline and amorphous polymer. The disadvantage of this route was that the catalyst had to be treated with alcohol to deactivate and extract it, while unwanted atactic polymer had to be extracted and removed.
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