In the present era it is very normal that we encounter or use products made from pp plastic. But do we really know and understand what pp is? Why is pp plastic widely used in everyday items such as packaging trays, home appliances, medical devices ... so. To be able to better understand, let's find out what you need to know about pp plastic!
1. What is pp plastic?
PP plastic is an industrial plastic (full scientific name is polypropylene) with highly appreciated mechanical strength with a characteristic hardness, plus a transparent color, not susceptible to oxidation.
2. What are the characteristics of pp plastic?
Colorless, tasteless and non-toxic pp plastic. Light blue flame, flexible flow when burned, smells like rubber when burned.
- PP plastic withstands temperatures higher than 100 degrees C, melting from 160 to 180 degrees C.
- The pp resin has a high surface gloss for printing and clear printing.
- The pp plastic has electrical insulation properties, high mechanical strength (such as tear strength, tensile strength), quite hard, not as flexible as PE, not elongated so it is made into fiber. easy if there is a cut or a small puncture.
3. Production of pp plastic?
- PP resin is produced based on the polymerization reaction of propene monomers (C3H6 - As unsaturated organic compounds).
Based on two reactions:
+ The polymerization between Ziegler and Natta
Metal catalyst polymerization reaction (also called Metallocene catalgsis polymerization reaction)
- After polymerization occurs, depending on the position of methyl groups (CH3), pp resin can form 3 basic chain structures, as follows:
+ Atactic (aPP) has irregular arrangement of CH3 group
+ Isotactic (iPP) CH3 groups are arranged on one side of the carbon chain
+ Syndiotactic (sPP) is arranged alternately CH3 group.
4. What are the advantages of pp plastic?
Because of its colorless, tasteless, and non-toxic properties, pp plastic is considered safe when making things for children.
- Large quantity, cheap price, anyone can buy and use.
- Has a rather slippery surface, but in return has high durability and moisture resistance.
- Good chemical resistance to bases, acids.
- Anti-impact, no deformation.
5. What are the disadvantages of pp plastic?
- PP plastic can cause explosion if not careful.
- May be chemically resistant but poorly resistant to aromatics and chlorinated solvents.
- The pp resin has an expansion coefficient at high temperatures, so it is limited to applications with high temperatures.
- Easily brittle or broken into pieces if at low temperature.
6. The products are made from pp plastic?
- pp plastic used to make water bottles, toys, baby bottles, food storage boxes, ..
- Used as food preservation packaging.
- In the form of fiber, it will be woven into packaging for food and grain.
- Making pp tables, chairs, pp plastic wire, pp plastic pipes, ...
7. Why is pp plastic widely used?
Firstly: pp plastic has unique properties and the ability to adapt to different fabrication techniques for many different uses.
- Second: pp plastic functions as both a plastic material and a fiber.
Third: PP it soon began to challenge with many old alternative materials, especially in the packaging, injection molding and fiber industries. The growth of pp plastic has always been maintained over the years, in the industry in general, in the plastic industry around the world in particular.
- And last and most importantly, pp plastic is cheap, easy to process and is the cheapest plastic today.
8. How to tell if your plastic is pp plastic?
- Read instructions based on labels: every product has very specific notes about plastic materials. With pp plastic, you can identify by the symbol of a triangle, in the middle there is a 5 printed on the package.
- Look at the color: products made from pp plastic have transparency, glossy surface and certain flexibility.
- Distinguishing pp plastic by burning test: take a piece of plastic that you want to know is pp plastic, then burn it with a flame and observe the phenomenon, if it is pp plastic, they are very flammable, when burned. light green, forming a liquid, smells like rubber. And vice versa, if your plastic is hard to burn, has a strong smell, it is not pp plastic.
The above information is expected to help you better understand what pp plastic is? And know why pp plastic is used so widely? The most important thing that I want you to know is to choose the safest and highest quality pp plastic products. To ensure the health of you as well as those around you. Thank you for watching the article.
