The properties of PP are strongly affected by its tacticity, the orientation of the methyl groups (CH3 in the figure) relative to the methyl groups in neighboring monomer units. Commercially available isotactic polypropylene is made with two types of Ziegler-Natta catalysts. The first group of the catalysts encompasses solid (mostly supported) catalysts and certain types of soluble metallocene catalysts. Such isotactic macromolecules coil into a helical shape; these helices then line up next to one another to form the crystals that give commercial isotactic polypropylene many of its desirable properties. Isotactic polypropylene is produced at low temperatures and pressures, using Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
This very popular plastic is one that many different manufacturers use for a number of different products. EPP has very good impact characteristics due to its low stiffness; this allows EPP to resume its shape after impacts. EPP is extensively used in model aircraft and other radio controlled vehicles by hobbyists. This is mainly due to its ability to absorb impacts, making this an ideal material for RC aircraft for beginners and amateurs. It can also be produced in sheet form, widely used for the production of stationery folders, packaging, and storage boxes. The wide color range, durability, low cost, and resistance to dirt make it ideal as a protective cover for papers and other materials.
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Common extrusion methods include production of melt-blown and spun-bond fibers to form long rolls for future conversion into a wide range of useful products, such as face masks, filters, diapers and wipes. Isotactic polypropylene was discovered in 1954 by Italian chemist Giulio Natta and his assistant Paolo Chini, working in association with the Montecatini Company (now Montedison SpA). They employed catalysts of a type recently invented by the German chemist Karl Ziegler for synthesizing polyethylene.
The polymer shares some of the properties of polyethylene, but it is stronger, stiffer, and harder, and it softens at higher temperatures. (Its melting point is approximately 170 °C [340 °F].) It is slightly more prone to oxidation than polyethylene unless appropriate stabilizers and antioxidants are added. Polypropylene is blow-molded into bottles for foods, shampoos, and other household liquids. It is also injection-molded into many products, including appliance housings, dishwasher-safe food containers, toys, automobile battery casings, and outdoor furniture. Polypropylene can be categorized as atactic polypropylene (aPP), syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP).
- When you look at polypropylene, you can see that it has many different properties that explain its widespread use.
- The availability of sheet polypropylene has provided an opportunity for the use of the material by designers.
- EPP has very good impact characteristics due to its low stiffness; this allows EPP to resume its shape after impacts.
- This very popular plastic is one that many different manufacturers use for a number of different products.
Atactic polypropylene, on the other hand, lacks any regularity which makes it unable to crystallize and amorphous. Polypropylene is one plastic that can be used for products now and can be recycled into products for the future as well. Its most common medical use is in the synthetic, nonabsorbable suture Prolene, manufactured by Ethicon Inc. Polypropylene fibres are also used in drywall joint compound for reinforcement.
What are the properties of PP?
Polypropylene fibre is a major factor in home furnishings such as upholstery and indoor-outdoor carpets. These applications take advantage of the toughness, resilience, water resistance, and chemical inertness of the polymer. However, because of its very low moisture absorption, limited ability to take a dye, and low softening point (an important factor in ironing and pressing), polypropylene is not an important apparel fibre. These catalysts are activated with special cocatalysts containing an organoaluminum compound such as Al(C2H5)3 and the second type of a modifier. Two most important technological characteristics of all the supported catalysts are high productivity and a high fraction of the crystalline isotactic polymer they produce at 70–80 °C under standard polymerization conditions. Commercial synthesis of isotactic polypropylene is usually carried out either in the medium of liquid propylene or in gas-phase reactors.
Partly in recognition of this achievement, Natta was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1963 along with Ziegler. Commercial production of polypropylene by Montecatini in Italy, Hercules Incorporated in the United States, and Hoechst AG in West Germany (now in Germany) began in 1957. Since the early 1980s production and consumption have increased significantly, owing to the invention of more efficient catalyst systems by Montedison and the Japanese Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd. As polypropylene is resistant to fatigue, most plastic living hinges, such as those on flip-top bottles, are made from this material. However, it is important to ensure that chain molecules are oriented across the hinge to maximise strength.
History of Polypropylene
A particularly important one is polypropylene random copolymer (PPR or PP-R), a random copolymer with polyethylene used for plastic pipework. Due to the resistance to fatigue, this means that it can be used on items that are going to have high stress, such as hinge mechanisms on water bottles and more. It is also used in manufacturing piping systems, as well as chairs, and in medical or laboratory use.
pp. American Dictionary
It can be produced commercially either with a special type of supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst or with some metallocene catalysts. Polypropylene is a major polymer used in nonwovens, with over 50% used[citation needed] for diapers or sanitary products where it is treated to absorb water (hydrophilic) rather than naturally repelling water (hydrophobic). Such applications occur in houses as water filters or in air-conditioning-type filters. The high surface-area and naturally oleophilic polypropylene nonwovens are ideal absorbers of oil spills with the familiar[citation needed] floating barriers near oil spills on rivers.
Optical properties
Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. When you look at polypropylene, you can see that it has many different properties that explain its widespread use. From clothing to pipes to carpet and more, this type of plastic is one that is used in a number of different products. German chemist, Karl Rehn, and Giulio Natta first polymerized propylene to a crystalline isotactic polymer in March 1954. This discovery soon led to the commercial production of polypropylene starting in 1957. Others claimed the discovery, as often occurs when a general body of knowledge is used, and this litigation was not resolved until 1989.
In case of atactic polypropylene, the methyl group (-CH3) is randomly aligned, alternating (alternating) for syndiotactic polypropylene and evenly for isotactic polypropylene. This has an impact on the crystallinity (amorphous or semi-crystalline) and the thermal properties (expressed as glass transition point Tg and melting point Tm). Polypropylene, a synthetic resin built up by the polymerization of propylene. One of the important family of polyolefin resins, polypropylene is molded or extruded into many plastic products in which toughness, flexibility, light weight, and heat resistance are required.
