Polypropylene melting products

Chapter 6 - There has been provided mathematical description of the processes of thermonuclear destruction in deformed polypropylene melts the aim was to use the criterion of destruction estimation in modelling and optimising the processing of polypropylene into products. 

Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) typically contain 60-70 % EPDM and 30-40 % impact polypropylene. These products contain a low level of crosslinks, but they are true thermoplastic materials. TPVs have superior strength, high-temperature mechanical properties, hot oil and solvent resistance, and better compression set than partially cured material. These materials are almost always dynamically cured, which refers to the process whereby the rubber phase is vulcanized during melt mixing with the molten non-cross-linked plastic. 

Improvements in melt spinning techniques and film filament processes have made polypropylene accessible for fiber production. Low-cost fibers made from polypropylene are replacing those made from sisal and jute. 

Only very recently the production of melt-blown polypropylene fleeces with considerably thinner fiber diameter became possible [100], thus making it possible — a low-cost hydrophilization provided — to achieve attractive properties with regard to small pore size and excellent tensile performance for use in highly automated assembly processes. 

In 2002, the world production of polymers (not including synthetic libers and rubbers) was ca. 190 million metric tons. Of these, the combined production of poly(ethylene terephthalate), low- and high-density polyethyelene, polypropylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene, and polyurethane was 152.3 milhon metric tons [1]. These synthetic, petroleum-based polymers are used, inter alia, as engineering plastics, for packing, in the construction-, car-, truck- and food-industry. They are chemically very stable, and can be processed by injection molding, and by extrusion from the melt in a variety of forms. These attractive features, however, are associated with two main problems ... 

Polymer scientists and engineers have developed a wide variety of processes by which to convert polypropylene into useable articles. These processes include fiber-spinning, production of melt blown and spun bond non-woven fabrics, film production, blow molding, and injection molding. The following sections describe these processes and the resulting properties of the product as a function of the process. 

Oilfields in the North Sea provide some of the harshest environments for polymers, coupled with a requirement for reliability. Many environmental tests have therefore been performed to demonstrate the fitness-for-purpose of the materials and the products before they are put into service. Of recent examples [33-35], a complete test rig has been set up to test 250-300 mm diameter pipes, made of steel with a polypropylene jacket for thermal insulation and corrosion protection, with a design temperature of 140 °C, internal pressures of up to 50 MPa (500 bar) and a water depth of 350 m (external pressure 3.5 MPa or 35 bar). In the test rig the oil filled pipes are maintained at 140 °C in constantly renewed sea water at a pressure of 30 bar. Tests last for 3 years and after 2 years there have been no significant changes in melt flow index or mechanical properties. A separate programme was established for the selection of materials for the internal sheath of pipelines, whose purpose is to contain the oil and protect the main steel armour windings. Environmental ageing was performed first (immersion in oil, sea water and acid) and followed by mechanical tests as well as specialised tests (rapid gas decompression, methane permeability) related to the application. Creep was measured separately. 

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