The key difference between PP and PPSU is that PP is polypropylene and it has a lightweight, slightly opaque color and is intended for regular use, whereas PPSU is polyphenylsulfone and it is a medical-grade plastic that has a natural honey tone and is quite hard-wearing.
PP and PPSU are important industrial polymer compounds that are used in preparing commodity materials and many other items.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is PP (Polypropylene)
3. What is PPSU
4. PP vs PPSU in Tabular Form
5. Summary – PP vs PPSU
What is PP (Polypropylene)?
PP or Polypropylene is a plastic polymer. The monomer of polypropylene is propylene; it has three carbons and one double bond between two of those carbon atoms. We can manufacture this material from propylene gas in the presence of a catalyst like titanium chloride. Furthermore, the production of polypropylene is easy, and it gives a high purity.
Polypropylene’s important properties are as follows.
- Transparent
- Lightweight
- High resistance to cracking, acids, organic solvents, electrolytes
- High melting point
- Non-toxic
- Has good dielectric properties
- High economic value.
Therefore, this material is useful for the production of pipes, containers, houseware, packaging, and automotive parts.
Figure 01: The Monomer Unit of Polypropylene
It is the second most widely produced commodity plastic material; in 2019, the global market was worth about 126 billion American dollars. The chemical formula of this material is (C3H6)n. The melting point of PP ranges from 130 to 171 degrees Celsius.
When considering production, PP is produced via the chain growth polymerization of propene. The catalyst used for this production is the Ziegler-Natta catalyst, which is able to restrict linking the monomer molecules to a unique orientation.
What is PPSU (Polyphenylsulfone)?
Polyphenylsulfone or PPSU (sometimes called PPSF) is a high-performance polymer that is made of aromatic rings that are linked via sulfone groups. There are commercially important polysulfones made via condensation of 4,4’-bis(chlorophenyl)sulfone, including various bisphenols. The two common bisphenols that are used in this application are bisphenol A and 4,4’-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone.
Moreover, this is a moldable plastic that is often useful in rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing applications. PPSU is resistant to heat and chemicals. Therefore, it is suitable to be used in automotive, aerospace, and plumbing applications. Further, it has no melting point because it reflects an amorphous nature. It also offers a tensile strength of up to 55 MPa. The commercial name of this material is Radel. Moreover, in plumbing applications, PPSU fittings can be found from cracks or experience failure upon improper installations that use non-manufacturer-approved installations.
What is the Difference Between PP and PPSU?
The term PP stands for polypropylene, while the term PPSU stands for polyphenylsulfone. The key difference between PP and PPSU is that PP has a lightweight, slightly opaque color and is intended for regular use, whereas PPSU is a medical-grade plastic that has a natural honey tone and is quite hard-wearing.
The following table summarizes the difference between PP and PPSU.
Summary – PP vs PPSU
Polypropylene or PP is a plastic polymer, while polyphenylsulfone or PPSU (sometimes called PPSF) is a high-performance polymer that is made of aromatic rings that are linked via sulfone groups. The key difference between PP and PPSU is that PP is polypropylene and it has a lightweight, slightly opaque color and is intended for regular use, whereas PPSU is polyphenylsulfone, which is a medical-grade plastic that has a natural honey tone and quite hard-wearing.
Reference:
1. Johnson, Todd. “Learn the Advantages of High Temperature Thermoplastics.” ThoughtCo, 21 July 2018.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Polypropylen” By NEUROtiker – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “High performance thermoplastics” By Minihaa – This W3C-unspecified vector image was created with Inkscape. (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia