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Polypropylene Melting Point and Properties, Advantages, and Disadvantages –
| Names and identification of Polymer | |
| General Names |
Poly(propylene), Poly(1-methylethylene)
|
| Structure-Based Name |
Poly(propene), Poly(1-methylethane-1,2-diyl)
|
| Acronym | PP |
| Curly Smiles | C{-}C{n+}(C) |
| CAS # | 9003-07-0 |
| Repeat unit |  |
| Identification Monomers | |
| Common Names | Propylene |
| CAS # | 0115-07-01 |
| Std. InChI | 1S/C3H6/c1-3-2/h3H,1H2,2H3 |
| Std. InChIKey | QQONPFPTGQHPMA-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| Structure |  |
| Thermophysical properties – Experimental Data | |||
| Property | Unit | Range | Preferred |
| Molar Volume Vm | mL mol-1 | 48.1 – 49.5 | 48.8 |
| Density ρ | g mL-1 | 0.85 – 0.88 | 0.86 |
| PP Melting Point | C° | – | 160 |
| Entanglement Molecular Weight Me | g mol-1 | 2800 – 7100 | 4650 |
| Solubility Parameter δ | MPa1/2 | 15.5 – 17.5 | 16.2 |
| Glass Transition Temperature Tg | K | 258 – 270 | 264 |
| Molar Heat Capacity Cp | J (mol K)-1 | 88 – 90 | 89.5 |
| Molar Cohesive Energy Ecoh | J mol-1 | 11800 – 15100 | 12800 |
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| Thermophysical Properties – Calculated Data | |||
| Property | Unit | Range | Preferred |
| Molecular Weight of Repeat unit | g mol-1 | 42.08 | – |
| Van-der-Waals Volume VvW | mL mol-1 | 30.84 | – |
| Molar Volume Vm | mL mol-1 | 46.7 – 51.5 | 49.3 |
| Density ρ | g mL-1 | 0.82 – 0.90 | 0.85 |
| Melting Point | C° | – | 160 |
| Entanglement Molecular Weight Me | g mol-1 | 2050 – 5400 | 3200 |
| Solubility Parameter δ | MPa1/2 | 15.2 – 16.0 | 15.7 |
| Glass Transition Temperature Tg | K | 239 – 263 | 261 |
| Molar Heat Capacity Cp | J (mol K)-1 | 88 – 89 | 88.5 |
| Molar Cohesive Energy Ecoh | J mol-1 | 11800 – 12700 | 12200 |
General Properties of Polypropylene –
- Toughness
- Good chemical resistance
- Translucent
- Semi-rigid
- Good fatigue resistance
- Integral hinge property
- Good heat resistance
Advantages and Disadvantages of Polypropylene –
Advantages:
- Water resistance, makes polypropylene impenetrable, making it extremely useful in industrial and medical applications.
- It is inexpensive compared to other mainstream thermoplastics such as PET, Polystyrene, and LDPE.
- High electric resistance is another unique benefit making it suitable for making electrical components.
- Resistance to biological conditions like fungi, algae, retrogression, and bacteria.
- It is recyclable, meaning it doesn’t hurt the environment much.
- Good fatigue resistance. useful in products like live hinging and shampoo bottles, meaning the prodcuts where any sort of bending is not allowed.
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Disadvantages:
- Susceptible to oxidation
- High flammability
- Below par bonding properties
- Meager resistance to chlorinated solvents and aromatics
- Susceptible to UV degradation
Applications –
Automotive: panels, floor trims, fender lines, trays, boxes, battery cases.
Medical: diagnostic devices, specimen bottles, pans, medical vials, Petri dishes, pill containers, etc.
Industrial: sheets, tanks, pipes, packaging, etc.
Consumer goods: luggage, toys, furniture, and packaging for veggies, fruits, and meat.
Fibers & Fabrics: tapes, strapping, staple fibers, bulk filament spun-bond, etc.
FAQs –
1. Is polypropylene safe to breathe?
Ans. Inhalation of fine particles may cause respiratory irritation. Fume created by thermal processing can be the reason for irritation, pulmonary edema, and a possible asthma-like response. However, that will happen if you consistently inhale polypropylene particles. A random contact once in a while won’t have any negative effects on your health.
2. Does polypropylene leach chemicals?
Ans. Polypropylene doesn’t leach chemicals and is generally considered safe for humans. In fact, it is considered to be the safest of all plastics. Its excellent heat-resistant capability is the very reason it doesn’t Leach chemicals even when exposed to warm or hot water. It is also approved for use in food storage.
3. Can you microwave polypropylene?
Ans. The unique chemical structure of polypropylene makes it transparent. As it doesn’t absorb microwave energy and has a relatively high softening point, polypropylene is considered to be a suitable resin for the production of microwave food reheat containers such as bowls, dishes, and related food
4. How strong is polypropylene?
Ans. Polypropylene is a rigid and durable material that effectively retains its strength and properties in a variety of situations and applications. In fact, polypropylene is so strong that the products made from it are considered to be four times stronger than steel.
5. How much polypropylene is recycled every year?
Ans. Talking about the United States, According to The Recycling Partnership’s 2020 State of Curbside Recycling report more than 1.6 billion pounds of polypropylene was to be recycled in the year 2020 alone, According to estimations, there are about 17 pounds of polypropylene used by a single family household.
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Final Thoughts –
That was all I wanted to say about the Polypropylene melting point/ PP Melting point. This was a short article. I wanted to keep it brief as we already have a detailed article on polypropylene on the site.
Kindly share your thoughts in the comment section.
Have a fantastic day.
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