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.
Polypropylene Sheet and Sheets come in Natural and White
Let’s start by clarifying what Natural and White means. The natural color of Polypropylene is a translucent straw color, not yellow – not white, more of a very lite translucent – almost transparent beige. The white color is a bright white with a slight blue tint, or blue white. This white color is opaque, and is a white color that blends well with other materials. Polypropylene sheet is also available in the color Black.
Polypropylene sheet materials are available in an opaque black color as well. There is also a grade of Polypropylene sheets that carries a FR – UL 94 V-0 rating. When fabricating a ‘wet bench’ for the electronic industry, the new requirement is FM4910. This new specification is from Factory Mutual Insurance, and the requirements are very stringent. The purpose of this specification is that the FM4910 means it won’t burn, and will put off no toxic fumes or excessive smoke.
This rigid plastic sheet can be cut with standard cutting tools, drilled, routed, machined and processed easily. Clean and sharp tools will provide a clean cut, and occasionally will produce stringy burrs that are easy to remove with standard deburring tools. It fabricates very much like HDPE (High Density Polyethylene Sheet), and has many similar properties. The chemical resistance of Polypropylene approaches the excellent resistance of Dupont PTFE Sheet.
Polypropylene sheet materials have excellent chemical resistance
The main claim to fame for polypropylene in sheet is the excellent chemical resistance. This material is used extensively in the manufacture of chemical tanks. This chemical resistance means also that it can not be bonded together (glues and cements peel right off!), and thus it must be ‘welded’ together for fabrication. The preferred method of welding is a hot air welder – which supplies a fine stream of very hot air on the exact area that you may wish to weld together. This weld, when done properly will yield a very strong bond, and will enable a water tight tank or box to be fabricated.
14 inch Natural Polypropylene Rod produced by Gehr Plastics, the largest domestic plastic rod currently in production.
This great building block material can be used in numerous industrial and chemical type applications. The list of great properties is extensive, here are a few of the highlights:
Self Lubricating and Low Co-Efficient of Friction
High Chemical Resistance
Abrasion, Moisture and Electrical Resistance
Stiffness, Rigidity, or Cut Resistance
Low Specific Gravity (Floats in Water)
Polypropylene sheet and sheeting provide years of use, and can be cleaned with most chemical cleaners. Sheets are available in thicknesses ranging from .032″ – 2.0+ thick, and standard sheet sizes are 48″ X 96″ and 48″ X 120″, plus other sizes can be special run.
Over the last 50 years or so since plastic became more and more prevalent, over one billion tons of it has been disposed of and that number only continues to grow. Plastic, because of its molecular structure does take along time to decompose and cannot be burned due to it releasing harmful toxins and pollutants into the air. However since the mid 1990’s, plastic recycling has become more advanced and a greater awareness has been established. Since this time though, new technologies have been implemented making it easier to recycle and making people more conscious to do so. Curbside containers and designated recycling stations have vastly improved the way we dispose of these materials. These programs helped pave the way for a new era where plastics are less likely to be littered on the side of the road and to make it easier to be reused over and over again saving money, energy and helping the environment.
Some of the main plastics which can be recyclable are:
Polyester or PET carries the number 1 symbol. This plastic is primarily used for soft drink bottles. It is the easiest to recycle plastic and can be reground and reused time and time again.
The plastic with the number 2 symbol on it is HDPE which is a plastic primarily used for grocery bags, milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles.
PVC has the number 3 symbol and is used for pipes, fences and non-food containers.
LDPE is number 4 and is used for tubing, caps, rings and shrink wrap (coffee can lids).
Polypropylene has the number 5 symbol and its uses are for automotive parts, food containers and dishware.
Polystyrene is number 6 and is used for food containers and cups (including Styrofoam).
7 is other material such as Acrylic, fiberglass and Polycarbonate. These plastics are used for lenses, glasses and shields.
ABS is the number 9 symbol and is used in automotive, model building and molded parts.
Join the grass roots groups to recycle
Many schools and organizations work to collect and recycle materials, including plastics and aluminum cans. The biggest problem with plastic recycling is that it needs to be so meticulously carried out and requires painstaking time to sort properly and to go through the plastics. This is why the resin identification coding system was implemented in 1988 to help better identify plastics. The number in the middle has no real significance and is just there to help name the plastic the item is made from. This system has greatly improved the way plastics are handled and recycled leading to greater efficiency and better consistency when sorting through plastic resins.
There are, however, some plastics that cannot be recycled. These plastics are called thermosets, which are plastics that cannot return to their original form. The best example of this type of plastic is Phenolic which was the first commercially available plastic back in 1907, and was originally called Bakelite. It is primarily used for electrical and mechanical purposes. Unlike thermoplastics which can be formed and returned to their original shape, thermosets cannot due to their chemical makeup and they frequently have additives or fillers. Thermosets form above the melting temperature so when they are heated, the decomposition temperature is reached before the melt point.
Many of these thermoset materials replace other, much more expensive materials, and generally out last the former material by as much as 20 times. In practice, these material reduce the usage of natural resources and the ‘carbon footprint’ used to produce the items. One such material is the Nylon bushings used in large ships. The Nylon replaces a large Bronze bushing that used to be replaced once a year, and required the ship be put into dry dock to remove and replace the bushing. The new Nylon bushings out perform the bronze, and will last over 12 times longer. Dramatic savings in materials, casting new bronze bushing and the loss of sailing time of these ships.
Thanks to recycling improvements in the last 25 years, recycling has become much more efficient. Because of these programs better care has been taken to insure that plastic is not littered or discarded lightly, and that the programs created are easily accessible so people can take better care of their trash and better care of the earth. Plastics manufacturer commonly work to reuse and recycle materials during production. Many materials are available as ‘reprocessed’ or ‘commercial grade’ materials, meaning they contain a percentage of material that has been processed before. The first time a plastic resin is sent through the manufacturing process, that resin is referred to as ‘virgin resin’. Any further processing, the material must be referred to as reprocessed.
Want more information on the recycling of plastics, click here for recycling information. You may also contact us if you have a specific material question at: 866-832-9315, we are happy to assist.
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