PP Sheet Full Form
PP stands for polypropylene. It is also known as polypropylene. It is a polymer which that is used in many applications. These sheets are more resistant to chemicals and some solutions like salts, acids, and bases. It was first polymerized in 1951 by two scientists, Paul Hogan and Robert Banks. By 1957, the popularity of polypropylene increased and the products began across Europe. At present it has become one of the most produced plastic products in the world. Polypropylene sheet is nothing but a chemically resistant plastic.
- Characteristics of Polypropylene
- Advantages of Polypropylene sheets
- Disadvantages of Polypropylene sheets
- Applications of Polypropylene sheets
It can be welded easily using a thermoplastic welding machine. It is fabricated into water and chemical tanks. These sheets have significant obstruction against any water sheets. These sheets are harder and highly resistant to heat, and the properties of polypropylene are similar to those of polyethylene. Syndiotactic was the first produced polypropylene by Natta.
Characteristics of Polypropylene
The most common properties of polypropylene are:
Elasticity: It has a high elasticity property over a certain range of deflection.
Toughness: The deformation of this material is done very easily, so it is a tough material.
Chemical Resistance: Polypropylene doesn’t react with dilute acids and bases. So it is used for containers of such cleaning agents and liquids.
Insulation: Polypropylene is highly resistant to electricity and used for the electronic components.
Fatigue resistance: It maintains its shape even after a high bending or flexing.
Transmissivity: It is used where there is a need for some light transfer.
Advantages of Polypropylene sheets
The major advantages of polypropylene sheets are:
Hard, stiff and tough material
Available in different formats and thicknesses,
Thermoformable material
Moisture resistant
High impact resistant
Scratch resistance material
Food grade material
Readily available and less expensive
It has a slippery surface
Disadvantages of Polypropylene sheets
Some of the disadvantages of polypropylene are listed below:
High thermal expansion coefficient that limits its high temperature applications
Susceptible to UV radiation
Poor resistant to chlorinated solvents
Highly explosive and flammable
Susceptible to oxidation
Difficult to paint because of its poor bonding properties
Applications of Polypropylene sheets
These sheets are used in various applications, such as:
Household and industrial applications
Food storage bowls
Wall cladding
Cooling towers
Clothing equipments
Used in ropes, carpets, tape and other materials
Used in the manufacturing of chemical and acid tanks
Piping
Plastic bags
Rigid packaging
Pharmaceuticals
Postal services
Electronics
Battery cases
Cutting boards
Laboratory sinks
Tank covers
Machinery and Light industry
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are three types of polypropylene. They are:
Homo polymer
Random Copolymer
Block copolymer
Homo polymer is a type of polypropylene which is a corrosion resistant material and has high tensile strength and stiffness at high temperatures. Homopolymer is a light weight, highly strain resistant and low moisture absorption material. It also provides greater resistance to organic solvents and degreasing agents. It has low impact strength when compared to polyethylene.
Polypropylene can be prepared in two ways:
Bulk slurry processing: In this process polypropylene can be prepared by adding liquid propylene to the reactor. The main advantage of this procedure is that it produces both homopolymers and copolymers successfully.
Gas phase processing: In this process gaseous propylene is placed with a solid catalyst inside a loop reactor that produces a fluidized bed. To produce random polymers it uses a gas phase reactor.
The polypropylene sheets are made by the polymerization of the propylene gas in the presence of a catalyst system. These polymerization conditions are set by the polymer grade that is to be produced. There are many production processes for the preparation of these sheets. These processes are done in the gas phase or the liquid phase, depending on their availability. But gas phase polymerization is less expensive and more flexible and also accommodates a large number of catalysts. This process is mostly used in the modern technologies and the plants producing polypropylene.
A random copolymer is a type of polypropylene that is made in a reaction with propylene, a catalyst, and ethylene. The ethylene interrupts the crystallisation and produces polypropylene with a low melting point and stiffness but high impact and clarity. These are processed by injection moulding, extrusion, and blow moulding. Random copolymers are mainly used where the polypropylene is required to have higher transparency and more clarity, such as in house appliances, office accessories, medical utilities, and sheets.