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Polypropylene

I chose to write about the polymer Polypropylene. It has many varied uses, from being useful in the making of food containers to loudspeakers. A common product that includes Polypropylene is polypropylene dishware which does not warp because of polypropylene's high melting point (160°C). Polypropylene's very high melting point makes it very useful because it can be used in extremely hot working situations. Additionally, it is useful as a rugged fiber in carpeting due to how it does not soak up water. Polypropylene also has the lowest density of any of the resins commonly used in the packaging industry. It is non-toxic, non-staining and easy to produce. The first company to succeed at the commercial production of polypropylene was Montecatini, an Italian chemicals combine.



Structurally, polypropylene is similar to polyethylene. They are both vinyl polymers. The main difference between the two is that every other carbon atom in polypropylene's backbone chain has a methyl group attached to it. As far as other uses of polypropylene go, it has been used by New Zealand as well as the U.S. military in the production of thermal gear. The possible downside to using polypropylene gear is that it is possible for the gear to melt, which can result in severe burns. Polypropylene is also occasionally used in hernia related operations, to be put in the place of the hernia in order to stop a new hernia from forming.

Polypropylene is also used in the creation of Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene, or BOPP. BOPP has many uses, from the printing and lamination fields to cable wrap and pressure sensitive tape. Also, when polypropylene becomes biaxially oriented, it becomes useful as a packaging material due to its clearness and toughness. Another product made from polypropylene is Prolene, which is a synthetic suture. Prolene sutures are very durable and long lasting, and are useful in both human and veterinary medicine.



Polypropylene can be both melted and recycled, but recycling polypropylene can degrade its properties. Polypropylene does not pose any major occupational health issues. It is also environmentally friendly when disposed of correctly. Two major commercial suppliers of polypropylene are Dow Chemical and Huntsman Chemical. Commercial polypropylene has an intermediate level of crystallinity, between LDPE (low density polyethylene) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). It is less flexible than LDPE, but much less brittle than HDPE.



References: http://www.lenntech.com/Polypropylene.htm http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-polypropylene.htm http://pslc.ws/macrog/pp.htm