Materials

Science

Polypropylene
HUNTER RATCHFORD
Introduction to
Polypropylene

• Polypropylene, also known as

polypropene is a thermoplastic
polymer. It can be used in a
wide variety of different
projects.
• Polypropylene belongs to the
group of polyolefins and is
partially crystalline. It is a non-
polar substance.
• Phillips Petroleum chemist J. Paul
Hogan and Robert Banks first
demonstrated the
polymerization of propylene in
1951.
UNIT(MER)
REPETITION OF
POLYPR0PYLENE

• Polypropylene -[CH2-
CH(CH3)]n- has the repeat
unit -[CH2-CH(CH3)].
Polystyrene has a chain
where the substituent R is a
phenyl group (C6H5),
corresponding to a
benzene ring minus one
hydrogen: -[CH2-
CH(C6H5)]n-, so the repeat
unit is -[CH2-CH(C6H5)]-
Reactivity/Stability
of Polypropylene
• Very Stable
• Polypropylene is generally high in
chemical resistance but should not
be used in contact with halogenated
and aromatic hydrocarbons or strong
oxidizing acids. Varying conditions
such as temperature, pressure and
exposure time can affect reactivity.
 Cost of
Polypropylene
THE AVERAGE GLOBAL PRICE OF POLYPROPYLENE OF
MARCH 2022 STANDS AT 1,208 U.S. DOLLARS PER TON.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

Breakdown of
Polypropylene
• The conventional plastic
polypropylene is Non-
Biodegradable. Due to the
increasing amount of use of the
plastic, the accumulation in the
environment has caused a threat
to planet Earth
• Highly durable
• On the contrary, polypropylene is a
recyclable and reusable material.
Sustainability of Polypropylene

• Polypropylene leads the way for sustainable plastics.

• Polypropylene is fully sustainable and doesn’t release any
toxins into the ground or atmosphere.
• Polypropylene consumes the least amount of energy
during production and produces the lowest carbon
dioxide emissions when compared to other plastics. Its
lower density also means that switching to PP reduces the
absolute amount of waste.
Health concerns of
Polypropylene
• Generally Polypropylene is considered
safe and nontoxic to humans, however
recent studies have shown that toxins
can leach on plastic additives and
cause occupational asthma
• Several safety organizations including
the International Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC) and Occupational
Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) do not find PP to be
carcinogenic according to its Safety
Data Sheet so it can be used to store
foods and beverages.
 Applications of Polypropylene
(PP)

PP can also be woven into fabrics used for

various housing and clothing options.

PP is used to form kitchen-safe

bowls and food containers.
PP is used for commercial PP is used to create many types of
plastic straws. toys, most famously legos.
Glass transition
and melting point
of Polypropylene
• The Glass transition for
Polypropylene(PP) is Tg(°C) -25,
Tm (°C) 170.

• The melting point for

Polypropylene is at 347°F (175°C)
References
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene
• https://www.healthline.com/health/is-polypropylene-safe
• https://www.medicinenet.com/is_polypropylene_toxic_to_
humans/article.htm
• https://www.palmetto-industries.com/recycling-
polypropylene/
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/1171084/price-
polypropylene-forecast-globally/