Polypropylene Vs. Polycarbonate: Comparing Properties and Applications

Polypropylene is widely known as “PP.” It is a thermoplastic polymer with exceptional mechanical and chemical properties. Its base material is propylene monomers. On the other hand, Polycarbonate’s short form is “PC.” It is renowned as a high-performance and transparent thermoplastic. This construction material’s base is bisphenol A monomer and phosgene.

Both of the materials are unique in terms of accommodating properties and offered advantages. Understanding Polypropylene vs Polycarbonate is essential for engineers and designers to select materials for specific applications while embracing cost-effectiveness. Here, we elaborate on the differences while covering some relevant aspects.

Polypropylene: Everything You Need to Know

Polypropylene was originated in 1954 by two Italian chemists named Giulio Natta and Karl Ziegler. They discovered the polymerization process of propylene, utilizing another remarkable invention called “catalysts.” This titanium-based catalyst was developed by Karl Ziegler. Due to their massive contribution to the industrial world and science, Natta and Ziegler received the Nobel Prize in 1963.

However, the production of Polypropylene is complex polymerization. In this process, propylene gas is carefully processed in the presence of either a Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalyst. Here, the influential factors such as temperature, reaction rate, and pressure are meticulously controlled to achieve the desired grade and quality of Polypropylene.

Common Characteristics of Polypropylene

In this section, we list the base characteristics of Polypropylene.

Polypropylene can be recycled. Reusing it to produce new plastic products contributes to sustainable manufacturing practices.
It has superior electrical insulation properties.
Polypropylene is equipped with enhanced chemical and fatigue resistance.
Polypropylene is lightweight because it is a low-density material. This helps reduce the overall weight of the final product.
A semi-rigid nature empowers it. And it provides greater durability and stability to the final product.
Polypropylene has promising temperature resistance capability.

Common Applications of Polypropylene

Below is a comprehensive list of Polypropylene applications in various industries.

Polypropylene fibers are a popular choice in the textile industry for manufacturing a wide range of products, from geotextiles to disposable medical garments.
Polypropylene’s ability to handle both heated and freezing water makes it a highly suitable material for producing pipes and fittings. It is considered a blessing to the construction sector.
Polypropylene is often used to produce storage boxes, folders, binders, and similar products.
This product construction material is used to make various packaging and non-packaging items. Examples of packaging products are flat bags, strapping tapes, and so on. Examples of non-packaging products include housewares, toys, carpeting, etc.
Polypropylene also benefits the automotive industry. Due to its enhanced durability and moldability, vehicle manufacturers use it to make dashboards, door panels, and bumpers.

Advantages of Polypropylene

Here, we inform you of the advantages of Polypropylene use.

Polypropylene is a food-safe material.
It possesses excellent anti-static properties, providing resistance to the buildup of static electricity.
This material is non-toxic.
It provides budget-friendly solutions in various applications.

Disadvantages of Polypropylene

Below are the cons of Polypropylene.

Polypropylene has relatively low resistance to prolonged UV exposure. It is not that suitable for applications exposed to intense sunlight.
In high-temperature environments, this material hosts oxidization.
Polypropylene shows low resistance when exposed to chlorinated solvents.

Polycarbonate: Everything You Need to Know

The origination of polycarbonate is a little bit dramatic, consisting of three phases. First, Polycarbonate was initially invented by Dr. Hermann Schnell in 1953 while working on the development process of wire insulation material. Second, one week after the discovery by Schnell, another German scientist Dr. Daniel Fox also invented this material separately. But for some reason, the commercial production of this material did not happen till 1955. In 1955, GE and Bayer filed for US-based patents in the USA.

The production of Polycarbonate includes an interfacial process. In this process, bisphenol-A reacts with carbonyl chloride. Here, bisphenol-A is obtained from condensation of phenol and acetone under acidic conditions. The resulting bisphenol-A then undergoes a chemical reaction with carbonyl chloride to produce Polycarbonate.

Common Characteristics of Polycarbonate

In this section, we list the must-know characteristics of Polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate is stiff and strong.
This material is significantly tough and has the ability to withstand impacts without shattering or breaking.
It provides a higher degree of transparency and optical clarity.
Polycarbonate is highly heat resistant. It maintains rigidity till 140°C.
It is lightweight and easily fabricable.

Common Applications of Polycarbonate

Below are the uses of this material.

Polycarbonate is an ideal choice for making eyeglass lenses, sunglasses, safety goggles, and camera lenses.
It is used to produce various automotive parts like headlights, tail lights, sunroofs, and interior trim parts.
Due to the associated high-impact resistance, Polycarbonate is used to manufacture face shields, safety helmets, riot shields, and bulletproof glass.
This material is used to produce fences, dividers, greenhouse components, etc.

Advantages of Polycarbonate

Here are some crucial benefits of using Polycarbonate.

This PC material is a good alternative to glass.
It can diffuse and transmit light.
Extreme durable and flame retardant.
It can be easily molded into complex shapes.
It is recyclable.

Disadvantages of Polycarbonate

The following are the problems associated with Polycarbonate.

It can receive scratches easily.
Polycarbonate can harm the environment if not disposed of accurately.
The price is relatively high.

Comparison Between Polypropylene Vs. Polycarbonate

Type	Polypropylene	Polycarbonate
Short description	Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer	Polycarbonate is a high-performance and transparent thermoplastic
What ingredients used to make this	Propylene gas, Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalyst	Bisphenol-A, carbonyl chloride
Applications	Polypropylene is used to manufacture car parts, geotextiles, outdoor furniture, pipes, storage boxes, etc.	Lenses, sunglasses, sunroofs, face shields, helmets, etc.
Characteristics	It can deal with extreme temperatures. Semi-rigid. Low-density. Recyclable.	Impact resistance. Lightweight, tough, stiff, and strong. Easy to fabricate.
Trade Name	Proteus, Propylux, etc.	Cyrolon, Lexan, Markrolon, etc.
Price	Per Ton Polypropylene price ranges from $1,850 to $2,550	Per Ton price is $2,818 to $3,200.

Final Words

Polypropylene and Polycarbonate are both thermoplastic materials, but they offer different properties. Polypropylene is a white opaque plastic that offers excellent chemical resistance; therefore, it is used for some tanks in corrosive environments. Polycarbonate is a transparent material, it is used frequently for machine shields, glass, etc.

If you are unfamiliar with polypropylene and polycarbonate plastic and need a trustworthy supplier, don’t hesitate to contact UVTECO, a leading supplier of plastic engineering and machining services.