Polypropylene or PP is another versatile polymer developed in 1950s sharing much of the characteristics of its predecessor polyethylene. PP, much more robust than polyethylene, is used from the making of plastic bottles to furniture.

Broadly there are three grades of PP -- Homopolymers, Block copolymers and Random copolymers.

The non-polar structure of PP gives it a very high molecular mass. This makes it highly resistant to chemicals and to aqueous solutions of salts, acids and alkalis. PP homopolymers have a high level of stiffness and toughness at room temperature. This together with their capacity to repel water makes them a good choice for mechanical and structural applications.

Applications of Polypropylene PP products include food or corrosive storage vessels, cooling or scrubbing towers, pump bodies and components, wall cladding, plating tanks and hoods
bench tops.

The global output of PP is expected to be 52 million tons in 2007. The demand for PP is also driven by the rapid growth in the Asian region especially China.

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India depends mainly on import of PP as it produces only around 200,000 tons per year. A projected growth rate of 10-12 percent per year in polymer consumption would make it imperative that India would depend on imports to a larger extent. PP is mainly used in sectors such as packaging, non-filament yarn and ropes ET

Dotmar EPP is Australia's largest and most progressive engineering plastics company focussing on the application of thermoplastic materials in engineering. It is the leading supplier of engineering thermoplastics in stock shapes and components in Australia. Engineering Plastics are a serious material option for your engineered solutions.