Safe Water Bottles

given lids made of a less heat-resistant material, such as LDPE or polystyrene. Such containers provide a good hands-on example of the difference in modulus, since the rubbery (softer, more flexible) feeling of LDPE with respect to PP of the same thickness is readily apparent. Rugged, translucent, reusable plastic containers made in a wide variety of shapes and sizes for consumers from various companies such as Rubbermaid and Sterilite are commonly made of polypropylene, although the lids are often made of somewhat more flexible LDPE so they can snap on to the container to close it. Polypropylene can also be made into disposable bottles to contain liquid, powdered or similar consumer products, although HDPE and polyethylene terephthalate are commonly also used to make bottles. Plastic pails, car batteries, wastebaskets, cooler containers, dishes and pitchers are often made of polypropylene or HDPE, both of which commonly have rather similar appearance, feel, and properties at ambient temperature.

Polypropylene is a major polymer used in nonwovens, with over 50% used[citation needed] for diapers or sanitary products where it is treated to absorb water (hydrophilic) rather than naturally repelling water (hydrophobic). Other interesting non woven uses include filters for air, gas and liquids where the fibers can be formed into sheets or webs that can be pleated to form cartridges or layers that filter in various efficiencies in the 0.5 to 30 micron range. Such applications could be seen in the house as water filters or air conditioning type filters. The high surface area and naturally hydrophobic polypropylene nonwovens are ideal absorbers of oil spills with the familiar floating barriers near oil spills on rivers.

A common application for polypropylene is as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). These BOPP sheets are used to make a wide variety of materials including clear bags. When polypropylene is biaxially oriented, it becomes crystal clear and serves as an excellent packaging material for artistic and retail products.

Polypropylene, highly colorfast, is widely used in manufacturing rugs and mats to be used at home.

In New Zealand, in the US military, and elsewhere, polypropylene, or ‘polypro’ (New Zealand ‘polyprops’), has been used for the fabrication of cold-weather base layers, such as long-sleeve shirts or long underwear (More recently, polyester replace polypropylene in these applications in the U.S. military, such as in the ECWCS ). Polypropylene is also used in warm-weather gear such as some Under Armour clothing, which can easily transport sweat away from the skin. Although polypropylene clothes are not easily flammable, they can melt, which may result in severe burns if the service member is involved in an explosion or fire of any kind.

Polypropylene is widely used in ropes, distinctive because they are light enough to float in water. For equal mass, polypropylene rope is the same strength as plow steel wire rope. Polypropylene rope is stronger than nylon, but not as strong as polyester. Likewise, it is more UV resistant than nylon, but not as much as polyester. It usually costs less than polyester and is not as elastic as nylon.

Polypropylene is also used as an alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as insulation for electrical cables for LSZH cable in low-ventilation environments, primarily tunnels. This is because it emits less smoke and no toxic halogens, which may lead to production of acid in high temperature conditions.

Polypropylene is also used in particular roofing membranes as the waterproofing top layer of single ply systems as opposed to modified bit systems.

Its most common medical use is in the synthetic, nonabsorbable suture Prolene, manufactured by Ethicon Inc.

Polypropylene is most commonly used for plastic moldings where it is injected into a mold while molten, forming complex shapes at relatively low cost and high volume, examples include bottle tops, bottles and fittings.

Recently it has been produced in sheet form and this has been widely used for the production of stationery folders, packaging and storage boxes. The wide color range, durability and resistance to dirt make it ideal as a protective cover for papers and other materials. It is used in Rubik’s cube stickers because of these characteristics.

The availability of sheet polypropylene has provided an opportunity for the use of the material by designers. The light-weight, durable and colorful plastic makes an ideal medium for the creation of light shades and a number of designs have been developed using interlocking sections to create elaborate designs.

Polypropylene sheets are a popular choice for trading card collectors; these come with pockets (nine for standard size cards) for the cards to be inserted and are used to protect their condition and are meant to be stored in a binder.

Polypropylene has been used in hernia and pelvic organ prolapse repair operations to protect the body from new hernias in the same location. A small patch of the material is placed over the spot of the hernia, below the skin, and is painless and is rarely, if ever, rejected by the body. However the FDA has issued several warnings on the use of polypropylene mesh medical kits when used for certain applications in pelvic organ prolapse, specifically when introduced in close proximity to the vaginal wall due to a continued increase in number of mesh erosions being reported by patients over the past few years.

The material has recently been introduced into the fashion industry through the work of designers such as Anoush Waddington who have developed specialized techniques to create jewelry and wearable items from polypropylene.

Polypropylene is used in the manufacture of loudspeaker drive units. Its use was pioneered by engineers at the BBC and the patent rights subsequently purchased by Mission Electronics for use in their Mission Freedom Loudspeaker and Mission 737 Renaissance loudspeaker.

In 2008, Researchers in Canada asserted that quaternary ammonium biocides and oleamide were leaking out of certain polypropylene labware, affecting experimental results. Since polypropylene is used in a wide number of food containers such as those for yogurt, Health Canada media spokesman Paul Duchesne, said the department will be reviewing the findings to determine whether steps are needed to protect consumers.

Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) is a foam form of polypropylene. EPP has very good impact characteristics due to its low stiffness, this allows EPP to resume its shape after impacts. EPP is extensively used in model aircraft and other radio controlled vehicles by hobbyists. This is mainly due to its ability to absorb impacts, making this an ideal material for RC aircraft for beginners and amateurs.

Recycling

Polypropylene is commonly recycled, and has the number “5″ as its resin identification code: .

References

^ Peter J. T. Morris (2005). Polymer Pioneers: A Popular History of the Science and Technology of Large Molecules. Chemical Heritage Foundation. p. 76. ISBN 0941901033. http://books.google.com/books?id=GjtJfmxvSWgC&pg=PA76. 

^ This week 50 years ago in New Scientist, 28 April, 2007, p. 15

^ R. Kleinschmidt et al. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 157(2000)8390

^ Kyung-Jun Chu. Eur. Polym. J. Vol. 34, No. 3/4, pp. 577-580, 1998

^ Session 6

^ Song (2004). “Zirconocene-catalysed propene polymerisation: kinetics, mechanism, and the role of the anion”. Macromol. Symp. 213: 173185. doi:10.1002/masy.200450917. 

^ P. Mercandelli; Sironi, Angelo; Resconi, Luigi; Camurati, Isabella (2007). “Comparing propene polymerization with 1-butene polymerization catalyzed by MAO-activated C2- and C1-symmetric zirconocenes: An experimental and computational study on the influence of olefin size on stereoselectivity”. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 692: 47844791. doi:10.1016/j.jorganchem.2007.06.021. 

^ ASTM Standard F2389, 2007, “Standard Specification for Pressure-rated Polypropylene (PP) Piping Systems”, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2007, DOI: 10.1520/F2389-07E01, www.astm.org.

^ Rug fibers

^ ECWCS Gen. III

^ USAF Flying Magazine. Safety. Nov. 2002.

^ Rope Materials

^ Plastic additives leach into medical experiments, research shows, Physorg.com, 10 November 2008

^ Scientific tests skewed by leaching plastics, November 6, 2008.

^ Plastics recycling information sheet, Waste Online

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Polypropylene

Chain structure of Polypropylene

Technical Properties & Applications

Polypropylene is traded on the London Metal Exchange

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Plastics

Polyacrylic acid (PAA)   Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX or XLPE)   Polyethylene (PE)  Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)  

Polyphenyl ether (PPE)   Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)  Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)  Polylactic acid (PLA)  Polypropylene (PP)  Polybutylene (PB)  Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)  Polyamide (PA)  Polyimide (PI)  Polycarbonate (PC)  Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)  Polystyrene (PS)  Polyurethane (PU)  Polyester (PEs)  Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)  Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)  Polyoxymethylene (POM)  Polysulfone (PES)  Styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN)  Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)  Styrene maleic anhydride (SMA)

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