PolyPropylene or PolyPro is extremely chemical resistant and light weight
Polypropylene combines high corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance (Melting point is 320°F), and great tensile strength.
It maintains its stiffness at elevated temperatures and displays incredible resistance to organic solvents, degreasing agents, and electrolytic attack. In addition, the material is lightweight, and stain and moisture resistant.
Because of the incredible chemical resistance, Polypropylene can not be bonded or glued together. Polypropylene must be hot welded or the use of sonic welding to attach pieces together. This process, while outside of the norm, is quite common for the polyolefin family of plastics. Polypropylene is a durable industrial building material, and is made by some of the biggest names in Plastics, including Simona America, Rochling Plastics, Vycom Plastics, and Polymer Industries. These large manufacturers all run materials here in the USA and have some of the highest standards for production.
The other polyolefin material with the same welding requirements is Polyethylene.
Resistance to 180 degrees F and handles acids, alkalines and solvents extremely well
USDA and FDA approved for use in food processing applications
Excellent stiffness and rigidity
Very good dielectric properties
Impact and stress crack resistant
FDA and NSF compliant
Polypro is ITAR compliant, and Polypro is RoHS compliant
Applications:
Polypropylene sheet is used in a broad variety of applications, but is particularly suited to the manufacture of chemical tanks for the following reasons:
Can be formed into almost any shape
Unsurpassed chemical resistance
Reliably handles all acids, alkalines and solver up to 180 degrees F
Resistant to abrasion, cuts and moisture
High tensile and compressive strength
Dependably maintains rigidity in all weather conditions
Superb dielectric properties
Wide variety of formulations including conductive, glass filled and static dissipative
approved by the USDA and FDA for use of food processing applications
Extruded Sheet: .030″ – 3″ in 48″ x 96″ Smooth surfaces natural sheet Black available in many thicknesses
Film: 022″ – .060″ in 48″ wide Natural only as standard Rod: .250 – 10″ diameter in Natural- 96″ lengths Special Formulations: Conductive, Glass Filled Static dissipation, custom sizes, formulations, profiles or colors
These properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed nor implied.
Thermosets (Paper, Canvas, Linen), Epoxy, G-10, FR-4, FR-5 , GPO, Melamine, Silicone and more
These materials were originally invented by Dr. Leo Baekeland in 1907. First called Bakelite, it is claimed to be the first synthetic thermoset plastic material. Several other base and resin materials are also available; Polyester, Melamine, Nylon and more.
This high temperature resistant material has been used in numerous applications for over 100 years. Other laminate trade names: Phenolic, Micarta®, Phenolfab®, Phenolkraft®, Ryertex®, Garolite®, Spauldite® and Texolite®. Please call with additional questions or specification assistance, or contact us here.
(X, XX, XXX, XP) – Composed of layers of paper base impregnated with a phenolic resin binder. It has excellent electrical properties with fair mechanical strength. Outstanding for use as a template material or backup stock material. It can certify to NEMA XX (in XX Grade), and MIL-I-24768/10 or 11
Canvas Base Laminates;
(C and CE) – This grade is composed of a continuous cotton woven cloth impregnated with a phenolic resin binder. This grade contains a medium weave canvas fabric and is known primarily for it’s mechanical properties. Not recommended for primary insulation. It can certify to NEMA C/CE, and MIL-I-24768/14 or 16
Linen Base Laminates;
(L and LE) – This grade contains a fine weave linen, and like canvas phenolic, is known for it’s mechanical properties. The finer weave allows for machining more intricate details than the Canvas, ie: small gear teeth. It can certify to NEMA L/LE, and MIL-I-24768/13 or 15
G-10 / FR4 Laminates;
(G-10 and G-10 FR4) – The most versatile all-around laminate, this grade is comprised of layers of a continuous glass woven fabric base impregnated with an epoxy resin binder. It has extremely high mechanical strength, good dielectric loss properties, both wet and dry. Extremely abrasive while machining, diamond tooling is recommended. It can certify to NEMA FR4, and MIL-I-24768/27
Phenolics and Laminates are ITAR compliant, and Phenolics and Laminates are RoHS compliant
Laminates Applications
Relays
Switches
Sockets
Standoffs
Washers
Test boards
Terminal strips
Condensers
Coils
Arc Shields
Circuit boards
Gaskets
Fuses
Transformer Panels
Phenolic Applications
Pinions
Aircraift
Seals & Gaskets
Motor housings
Radio terminal boards
Bushings
Insulating washers
Marine switchboard panels
Thermostat housing
Auto ignition components
Punch parts
Communication instruments
Handles for pots and pans
Knife handles
Laminate Availability:
Sheet, Rod and Tube: Sheets
.005″ -4″ thick, Rods
From .125″- 10″ diameter Tubing – Call us
A huge variety of sizes are available depending on grade. Call for detailed availability on your requirement.
Also available: Polyester, Nylon and Melamine Resisns and other Specialty Grades.
Grade
Certifies To
Industrial Type of Material
X
Mil- I- 24768/12 PBM
Industrial thermoset (Paper Grade Laminate) Superior Mechanical Properties for paper grade
XX
Mil- I- 24768/11 PBG
Industrial thermoset (Paper Grade Laminate)
XXX
Mil- I- 24768/10 PBE
Industrial thermoset (Paper Grade Laminate) Best Electrical Properties for paper grade
These properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed nor implied.
High flame retardant, chemical resistant, and impact resistant specialty plastics that meet the requirements of the FM 4910 specification.
A specialty line of plastic materials was created for the most flame retardant and fire-safe applications. These plastic materials fall under the FM 4910 specification and meet the UL 94 V-0 specifications as well. These materials have been used in high-risk applications like aircraft, spacecraft, and semi-conductor manufacturing and help avoid dangerous situations. CRP-1, LAM 2000, and other materials meet the stringent requirements for the FM 4910 specification.
We are proud to supply the full line of FM 4910 materials from SIMONA America. SIMONA America is an expert in providing a full product portfolio of materials meeting this stringent specification.
SIMONA® CRP-1, SIMONA® 2000, PVDF, PFA-M, E-CTFE, and FRP-3 are made by SIMONA America Industries and excel in these highly technical environments and applications. Some of these materials may also be available in ESD (Electro Static Discharge). If you are interested in these specialty materials, please call us at (866) 832-9315 and ask for Matt or Jeff for more information on these products.
What does FM 4910 mean?
CRP-1 The FM 4910 specification was created in response to requirements regarding the quantity of toxic smoke that can be emitted from some materials when exposed to high heat or flame. FM stands for Factory Mutual, the company that originally experienced a tragedy due to burned materials releasing toxic smoke. This led to the creation of the specification, and the materials that meet the stringent requirements are used in applications such as aircraft, semi-conductor, and highly chemical environments.
CRP-1 These materials are created to limit fire propagation, the spread of flame on the material, and smoke generation or the quantity of smoke generated by igniting the material. FM 4910 meets UL 94 V-0 flame test criteria and can withstand temperatures from 140 to 425°F. These materials also perform well in wet process applications and resist acids, bases, solvents, and oxidizers. Common applications include; tanks, vessels, and machine parts, and clean rooms, cabinets, enclosures, and view windows.
CRP-1
CRP-1 CRP-1 is a specialty PVC material. This material has exceptional impact strength and ductility as an FM 4910 listed material.
CRP-1 CRP-1 has demonstrated better chemical resistance, superior surface appearance, higher gloss and surface smoothness. It has better resistance to particle adhesion than other materials and its resistance to stains makes it easier to clean. Welding rods are available for welding joints together easily and efficiently. It is one of the FM 4910 materials that is easier and faster to weld than competitive materials. Although it has a lower density and weight than similar materials, it still maintains stiffness and a higher flexural modulus.
Common applications include semiconductor process equipment, chemical and fluid handling, cabinets with acid and alkaline exposure, electrical cabinets, fire safe componentry, and dry tool areas. This is the most common material we see used for clean room and other similar applications. SIMONA® CRP-1 upholds all the properties above and continuously performs very well.
LAM 2000
LAM 2000 is a specialty clear CPVC material designed to be transparent. It is most often used in the clean room processing applications as viewing windows or transparent doors. The excellent clarity allows for about 70% light transmittance without any haze in the material. Like CRP-1, the SIMONA LAM 2000® has excellent chemical resistance and stiffness. This material is RoHS and ITAR compliant, with no lead, heavy metals, or EPA reportable ingredients. Compared to other clear materials, this is the most cost effective clear material that meets the FM 4910 requirements and is categorized on the UL 94 V-0 list.
PVDF
pvdf1PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) is a fluoropolymer material that falls into this specialty material category. SIMONA manufactures two types of PVDF materials; SIMONA® PVDF homopolymer sheet made with Kynar® 740 and SIMONA® PVDF-C copolymer sheet made with Kynar Flex® 285.
PVDF PVDF products provide solutions for highly demanding applications in the chemical processing industry that effectively counteract damage due to corrosion, extend the life of service equipment, and improve operational safety. Common applications include semiconductor equipment, chemical process/storage, fluid handling, fire-safe componentry, and DI water systems.
The advantages for FM4910 applications include flame resistance, high purity, ease of machining, excellent weatherability, and UL 94 V-0 specification.
FRP-3
FRP-3 FRP-3 is a Fiberglass Reinforced Polypropylene. It meats the stringent Factory Mutual Cleanroom 4910 Fire test (FM 4910) and is used typically for walls and cabinets in clean rooms. It is also used for rinse modules, water transfer interfaces, alkaline and UPW modules, and dry tool areas. FRP-3 is an economical material that is very weldable and formable. Like the other FM 4910 materials, it is stiff, impact resistant, and has good mechanical and thermal properties. The difference between FRP-3 and materials like CRP-1 and SIMONA® 2000 is that FRP-3 has a poor resistance to high concentrations of acids, aromatics, aliphatic and chlorinated solvents. That being said, this material maintains good resistance to alkalines, UPW, and many solvents, which is why it is used for low acid exposure cabinetry.
CPVC – Boltaron®
CPVC CPVC (Chlorine Polyvinylchloride) is made by a SIMONA® owned division Boltaron®. CPVC is a heat and corrosion resistant sheet. Because of its excellent corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures, it is ideally suited for self-supporting constructions where high temperatures are a concern. The chlorination provides the extra heat resistance in the material.
CPVC Common applications include Wet Process Equipment, Chemical Delivery Systems, Cleanroom Cabinetry, Furniture, & Accessories, Quartz Cleaners, and Chemical Drum Cabinets. The primary usage is in Cleanroom environments. Advantages of this material are RoHS and REACH compliance, easy fabrication and formability, and flame retardant properties. It is FM 4910 Listed (1/4”-1” only) and meets UL 94 5VA Testing Criteria.
Why food safe HDPE plastic replaced glass as the go-to milk container.
Many of you, should you be older than 60, may remember the “Milk Man”. This delivery service from decades ago, was a most common way of transporting milk to the consumer. Back then, suppliers used glass bottles, delivered by this milk man, right to your front door.
HDPE is Food Safe
When looking at alternatives, the milk processing industry found a use and benefit from replacing the glass with a plastic called High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). But what is HDPE, and what are the benefits of using it?
Glass is heavy, HDPE plastic is light
One of the characteristics of this thermoplastic is the weight of the material. The reason this is so beneficial brings us back to the milk jug. Old style glass milk containers could hold 32 oz., with the empty glass weighing 1.25 lbs. An empty gallon water or milk jug (128 oz.) weighs in at only 0.25 lbs, and holds 4 times more volume. When full, the milk jug can hold more volume than the glass bottle without compromising the strength, especially when being transported. This lowers the overall transport time and significantly reduces the cost of shipping.
This drop in weight and large increase in capacity is why the industry made the switch. The attribute of high durability in plastic materials like HDPE is known as the “strength to weight ratio”. As already mentioned, this was a huge benefit from switching to HDPE containers – the impact it has on transport costs. The high impact resistance of the material allows for easy transport. The HDPE jugs can withstand the jarring and bumping that is a natural part of mass transit, with almost zero wear or breakage to the product. Compared to the glass bottle, too hard of a turn or a pothole in the road could lead to the disheartening sound of shattering glass… not an ideal result for the distributing company. The HDPE impact resistance still holds true through out the supply chain, and even when the containers enter a store or home. If a HDPE milk jug should fall, the plastic container may spill, but it won’t cause the harm or damage that glass would. Broken glass poses a hazard and a risk, whereas plastic in this case can be easily cleaned, recycled, and used again.
When discussing this topic, the argument of recycling and sustainability sets its sights on plastics. In reality, the carbon footprint of plastics is much smaller than that of glass. The amount of heat necessary to heat up plastic for recycling is dramatically lower than that of glass, making it more sustainable in the long run. Yes, both are 100% recyclable, but the amount of fuel necessary plays a big factor. The temperature needed for melting and processing HDPE is between 248 and 356°F depending on grade. Whereas glass materials requires a minimum temperature of 2,600°F, according to SeattlePI. As you can see, these temperatures are very different, and shows why the life cycle of plastic is more eco-friendly and a better option to preserve our environment.
Immensely versatile HDPE applications
HDPE has many more uses, like in structural tanks, FDA approved cutting boards and industrial piping systems. This material outweighs most alternatives in benefits due to it’s cost and performance, and is produced in sheet and rod by many major manufacturers in the USA. HDPE plastics are FDA and NSF approved for food applications, making HDPE a food safe product for most food processing and packing applications. For more details on HDPE and it’s benefits see Industrial Plastic Supply or call 866-832-9315
What other applications could benefit from newer and improved materials to make our world safer, cleaner and more efficient?
People in the plastics industry have known for over 50 years that Polycarbonate Sheets are tough. This clear plastic sheet material is commonly used to replace window glazing. The best known property for this polycarbonate sheet material is that it is break resistant, or in many cases, considered unbreakable. This is a great benefit for areas where window glass is broken easily.
Recently some cities have passed ordinances to change out the plywood window coverings on abandoned homes, and they are installing clear polycarbonate sheets instead. This is a very attractive replacement, and is a big step in fighting the blight of abandoned homes.
Polycarbonate is produced under several trade names, including Plaskolite Tuffak® GP, Covestro Makrolon®, SABIC Lexan®, Cyrolon®, Zelux® and many more. These materials are available in sheets, plate, slab, bar and rod.
Read more on this material below.
Excerpt from AZCentral, The Arizona Republic:
Property owners and banks in Phoenix had begun outfitting windows with sheets of polycarbonate, a thin, nearly indestructible plastic that mirrors the appearance of glass.
And last month, the city became among the first in the U.S. to make polycarbonate windows a matter of municipal law.
Phoenix now requires all window and door openings visible from the street to be secured with the material if the structure has been unoccupied for more than 90 days. The 90-day provision is also new, replacing the previous deadline of 180 days. The measures were the result of an abandoned buildings task force that Gallego spearheaded.
No one likes living next to abandoned buildings with boarded up doors or windows. So the city of Durham started replacing the plywood eyesores with a clear, durable plastic.
The city is working to reduce the number of abandoned houses by helping owners fix them up. But for houses that still need boarding up, the city has found that plastic not only improves the overall appearance of a neighborhood, it may reduce crime by discouraging squatters and making it easier for police to see inside vacant buildings.
“I can’t stress enough how the elimination of the boards has a tremendous positive impact on neighborhoods and communities,” said Faith Gardner, housing code administrator of the city’s department of neighborhood improvement services.
Read more here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article20778429.html#storylink=cpy
These communities have fought back against vandalism and crime, as well as enhanced the value of local homes by changing from Plywood to Clear Polycarbonate Sheets. Tuffak GP is a super tough glazing grade clear Polycarbonate Sheet material is the same kind of material that Police Officers use for face shields and banks are using for bullet resistant glazing.
The premier manufacturer of Polycarbonate Sheet in the USA is Tuffak® PG made by Plaskolite and made from Covestro® (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) resins, and they produce Tuffak® GP Polycarbonate Sheet. Polycarbonate is also available in rod and thick plate for machined parts.
Consider using Polycarbonate sheet for your next glazing material.
Plastics have been around for over a century now, and are used in almost every industry and application. The problem is that society has made the plastics industry the poster child for waste, trash and pollution. This is unfair, and factually incorrect.
Plastic materials are lighter, cost less to produce, use less electrical power to produce, and are safer for use. It is not new phenomenon that a material or product, once used, gets thrown away. This is the normal life cycle of many materials. Some inexpensive plastic materials used in consumer goods are made to throw away once the item has been purchased. Things like the indestructible packing we fight on kids toys, the cheap plastic sporks from restaurants, the prolific plastic water bottles and of course, the plastic grocery bags. All of these materials are 100% recyclable, the hitch is that it requires a little effort to recycle.
Are Plastic Materials The Cause?
On the positive side, the products that plastic currently replaces are much larger, heavier and generally cost more to produce, and use more energy to produce. This means, that the large amount of plastics that are not being properly disposed of, are replacing much larger quantities of materials that would not be recycled. I still remember times when I was a kid, and seeing tin cans in the lakes and rivers when out fishing. People polluting with their trash is not a new thing, now it is just a different group of materials.
Thermoplastic plastic materials are recyclable, and can be used over and over again. Generally, the recycled product would not be for a Food or Medical application. A common use of recycled plastic is with the collected milk jugs and detergent bottles, both HDPE, can be ground and turned into plastic lumber. The plastic lumber can be used to replace standard wood products for decks and outdoor furniture, and it will last for 15 – 20 years with no maintenance or painting. The cost savings and reduced use of natural resources for this one product can be staggering. The color doesn’t fade, it wood won’t split or crack, and it continues to look good for up to two decades.
Our recent article, “Plastic Material Bad Reputation – How did we get here?“, we discuss the factors that have lead to the ‘throw away’ society that we have become. Much of this bad reputation is for products that are designed as one use and then designed to be thrown away. So, if we are to change the bad reputation, companies need to change this design flaw, and start using materials for applications that can be reused easily.
If we can minimize the use of throw away plastics, and recycle the plastic material once we are done with it, we can help to limit plastic in land fills.
The blame for plastic pollution should be placed…on people. The plastic is not the cause of the problem, it is the litter-bug and irresponsible individuals that trash our planet. How do the plastic bottles and grocery bags end up in the ocean. They certainly don’t throw themselves in to the ocean, it is lack of responsibility and negligent behavior.
It really only takes a couple of seconds to throw something into a recycle bin. Even better would be to reuse the plastic bottles or plastic bags. Plastic materials are not the problem, empathetic people are the problem.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy
