5 Best Material Properties of Polypropylene

Polypropylene is a versatile material that can be used in a variety of ways. It is ideal for use in creating outdoor signs to advertise an event or business. It can be used in packaging, construction, to protect other materials, or as a waterproof barrier. These are just some of its many applications. There is some kind of use for polypropylene in many industries.

Your industry might already heavily utilize polypropylene, but what do you know about its material properties? Whether you’re choosing polypropylene to coat wire, as packing material, or for various other applications, here are a few properties you should understand that will help you make informed decisions on how you can best use it for your business.

Strength

Polypropylene’s structure lends it a good tensile strength, around 4,800 psi. This number means that it can withstand high amounts of pressure or loads, even though the material itself is lightweight. This material property is one of the reasons polypropylene has an ideal use as packaging material. 

Water absorption

If you’re looking for a material to use in a wet environment, polypropylene can be a great choice. In soak tests, polypropylene absorbs less than .01% of its weight. It can also be used to coat something that needs to be protected from outside contaminants since it will not absorb them.

Temperature resistance

Polypropylene has a maximum operating temperature of 180 degrees. While this number means it is not ideal in very hot environments, it’s fine for most applications in natural environments, such as using the material to create outdoor signage. In temperatures above 180 degrees, polypropylene will not perform as well, but it won’t melt until 327 degrees. 

Hardness

Polypropylene is not a particularly hard material, but that makes it good for applications where some flexibility is necessary. It’s semi-rigid and can be bent to some degree, but will still hold its form.

Chemical resistance

Much like with water, polypropylene has a high resistance to chemicals, especially when compared to polyethylene, another plastic commonly used. For applications involving many acids, organic solvents, or alkalines, polypropylene is a great option in order to avoid absorption.

If you’re looking for a polypropylene supplier for your project, contact Ug Plast at 717-356-2448 or sales@ugplast-inc.com to get connected to a distributor near you.