Polypropylene Sheets
Design Flow manufactures Matrix Panels plastic sheets in Australia in two types of polypropylene (PP): Recycled Black Copolymer / Homopolymer blend and Virgin Natural PolyPropylene Copolymer (PP-C) from 7mm to 40mm thick. You can download our brochure on black and natural PP sheets by clicking
HERE.
Polypropylene is a hard, stiff, easily workable material with excellent toughness at room temperature. It is an easily weldable thermoplastic which makes it ideal for tanks, fittings and vessels for the chemical and mineral processing, mining and galvanising industries.
PP-H is the more rigid type of polypropylene resin and has a harder surface which is more resistant to scratching, however it is more brittle than PP-C, especially at low temperatures. PP-H is best suited to manufacture of components that require stiffness but are not subject to high impact loads.
PP-C is typically about 20% more flexible than PP-H, but has much greater impact strength, especially at low temperatures. It is better suited to manufacture of boxes, machine parts, liquid tanks, pipeline components, etc.
The melting temperature of PP is about 160ºC and it can be used continuously between 0ºC and up to +135ºC, depending on the applied mechanical stress level. The density of PP is 0.91 to 0.92 grams per cm 3 so it floats on water.
The table below shows approximate weight of each panel and quantity of panels per pallet.
| Nominal thickness (mm) | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 25 | 30 | 40 |
| Approximate weight (kg) | 20 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 34 | 43 | 55 | 72 | 86 | 115 |
| Qty of sheets per pallet | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 27 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 8 |
Polypropylene is resistant to chemical attack and staining and is unaffected by aqueous solutions of inorganic salts or mineral acids, alkalis and gases, even at high temperatures. It is not attacked by most organic chemicals including alcohol and petrol, and there is no solvent for PP at room temperature. PP is attacked, however, by halogens, fuming nitric acid and other active oxidizing agents, and by aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons at high temperatures.
- Excellent resistance (no attack) to dilute and concentrated Acids, Alcohols, Bases and Mineral Oils
- Good resistance (minor attack) to Aldehydes, Esters, Aliphatic Hydrocarbons, Ketones and Vegetable Oils
- Limited resistance (moderate attack and suitable for short term use only) to Aromatic and Halogenated Hydrocarbons and Oxidizing Agents
Key Features of Polypropylene
- Higher rigidity and scratch resistance than HDPE
- Higher heat resistance than HDPE
- Copolymer has excellent impact resistance at room temperature but HDPE is better below 0ºC
- Very high chemical resistance
- Suitable for heat welding
- Thermoformable
- Excellent moisture resistance
| - Does not absorb water
- Light weight (low density), floats in water
- Food contact grades available
- Similar price to PE
- High Stress Cracking resistance
- Non Toxic for food contact.
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Applications of Polypropylene Sheet
- Food or corrosive storage vessels
- Cooling or scrubbing towers
- Pump bodies and components
- Wall cladding
- Plating tanks and hoods
- Pipe flanges
- Tanks for chemical storage
- Fume cupboards
- Electroplating barrels
| - Food or chemical storage vessels
- Pump bodies and components
- Laboratory bench tops, etc.
- Screw connections, collar nuts
- Chemical pump components
- Nozzles, flange connections
- Clicking and cutting boards
- Food handling applications
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