What is polypropylene(PP) and its application
What is Polypropylene?
Polypropylene,short as PP, is a common household plastic and one of the largest consumption plastic because its very unique set of features.
Such as good chemical resistance, heat resistance, electrical insulation, high-strength mechanical properties and good fatigue resistant,
it is widely used in clothing, blankets and other fiber products, medical equipment, automobiles, bicycles, accessories, transportation pipelines,
chemical containers and other production.
And because of its versatility, PP materials are gradually replacing wooden products, and high strength, toughness and high fatigue resistance
have gradually replaced the mechanical functions of metals.
Why PP isn’t used widely in 3d printing?
• Production issue: PP it’s difficult to produce because its big shrinkage rate and can easily lead to flat or irregular filament thread,so many
manufacturers can't make the filament into a circular line with the same diameter. Then it will result in a series of block,nozzle
clog and under extrusion issues.
• Printing issue: the first layer is very difficult to stick to the printer bed. Then caused the printed objects warping, layer shifting or other
failure prints.That’s a very typical difficulty should be solved in PP 3d printing.
Why YOUSU 3D keep testing to find solutions for production?
While PLA and ABS are more commonly used in FDM 3D printing, but there are many applications which ABS and PLA can’t satisfied
because their own disadvantages.
Let’s take a look of below properties comparison form for ABS, PLA and PP.
From the form, we can apparently find that PP has more excellent properties which can be used to produce durable accessories.
• Excellent fracture resistance and semi-flexibility. We all know that the greater the tensile strength, the harder and more brittle
the material will be, and the worse its impact strength will be. The tensile strength value of PP is only 56% of PLA and 61% of ABS,
and the tensile elongation is better than tens of hundreds of times, which means that the parts printed by PP are almost indestructible.
• low density, PP is particularly suitable for printing lightweight and strong parts, such as 3D printed aircraft models and drone parts.
• Chemical resistance and weather resistance properties, PP can also be widely used in many industries.
• Skin-friendly and food-safe properties, also allow it to be used in medical technology and food container applications, and provide
an high surface quality.
• Recycled efficiently, in the long term, it’s very good for protecting our environment.
With years of R&D keep testing, YOUSU 3D finally find solutions for PP production. Compared with other PP filaments, YOUSU 3D
PP is high tensile elasticity, impact resistance and better layer bonding.
How to print PP ?
However, it is not enough to just solve the PP production issue. How to print PP successfully is another challenge. PP is really difficult
to stick to any material printer bed surface besides itself.
Polypropylene sheet building film:with hundreds of testing, YOUSU exploring special PP build film. It integrated Nano
technology enables no warping printing and it is better than PEI film and other heating bed stick film. Easy to install and easy to remove.
Printing Settings
Shop now: PP filament purchase link
Video
About YOUSU 3D
Yousu 3D is a professional manufacturer who focus on 3D printing filament, 3D resin and 3D pen. Our product line covers consumer
level to professional level market. For filament from PLA to PEEK, for 3d resin from water washable to dental and casting resin, for 3d
pen from normal 3d pen to world first one candy pen.
As an ISO 9001 certificated company all products are under good quality control. As a social responsibility all behavior meets
BSCI requirement. We are proud of our R&D, more than 20 patents includes 3 invent patents and we can do ODM/OEM business.
Polypropylene,short as PP, is a common household plastic and one of the largest consumption plastic because its very unique set of features.
Such as good chemical resistance, heat resistance, electrical insulation, high-strength mechanical properties and good fatigue resistant,
it is widely used in clothing, blankets and other fiber products, medical equipment, automobiles, bicycles, accessories, transportation pipelines,
chemical containers and other production.
And because of its versatility, PP materials are gradually replacing wooden products, and high strength, toughness and high fatigue resistance
have gradually replaced the mechanical functions of metals.
Why PP isn’t used widely in 3d printing?
• Production issue: PP it’s difficult to produce because its big shrinkage rate and can easily lead to flat or irregular filament thread,so many
manufacturers can't make the filament into a circular line with the same diameter. Then it will result in a series of block,nozzle
clog and under extrusion issues.
• Printing issue: the first layer is very difficult to stick to the printer bed. Then caused the printed objects warping, layer shifting or other
failure prints.That’s a very typical difficulty should be solved in PP 3d printing.
Why YOUSU 3D keep testing to find solutions for production?
While PLA and ABS are more commonly used in FDM 3D printing, but there are many applications which ABS and PLA can’t satisfied
because their own disadvantages.
Let’s take a look of below properties comparison form for ABS, PLA and PP.
| Properties | ABS | PLA | PP |
| Density/g•cm³ | 1.05 | 1.24 | 0.92 |
| Moisture Absorption/% | 0.18 | 0.06 | 0.01 |
| Tensile strength/Mpa | 47 | 53 | 23-29 |
| Tensile Modulus/Mpa | 1680 | 3450 | 1300 |
| Tensile elongation | 43% | 8.4% | 900% |
| Flexural strength/Mpa | 74.1 | 68.9 | 35-45 |
| Flexural Modulus/Mpa | 1900 | 3750 | 1350 |
| Heat Distortion temperature℃ | 83 | 65 | 100 |
| Melting point℃ | 170-180 | 150-170 | 160-170 |
| Shrinkage ratio/% | 0.4-0.7 | 0.05-0.2 | 1.6-2.0 |
From the form, we can apparently find that PP has more excellent properties which can be used to produce durable accessories.
• Excellent fracture resistance and semi-flexibility. We all know that the greater the tensile strength, the harder and more brittle
the material will be, and the worse its impact strength will be. The tensile strength value of PP is only 56% of PLA and 61% of ABS,
and the tensile elongation is better than tens of hundreds of times, which means that the parts printed by PP are almost indestructible.
• low density, PP is particularly suitable for printing lightweight and strong parts, such as 3D printed aircraft models and drone parts.
• Chemical resistance and weather resistance properties, PP can also be widely used in many industries.
• Skin-friendly and food-safe properties, also allow it to be used in medical technology and food container applications, and provide
an high surface quality.
• Recycled efficiently, in the long term, it’s very good for protecting our environment.
With years of R&D keep testing, YOUSU 3D finally find solutions for PP production. Compared with other PP filaments, YOUSU 3D
PP is high tensile elasticity, impact resistance and better layer bonding.
How to print PP ?
However, it is not enough to just solve the PP production issue. How to print PP successfully is another challenge. PP is really difficult
to stick to any material printer bed surface besides itself.
Polypropylene sheet building film:with hundreds of testing, YOUSU exploring special PP build film. It integrated Nano
technology enables no warping printing and it is better than PEI film and other heating bed stick film. Easy to install and easy to remove.
 |
 |
Printing Settings
Hot End Temperature:225℃-235℃
Bed Temperature:85℃
Printing Speed:30mm/s
Nozzle:≥0.04mm
Bed surface:Clear Build Film
Shop now: PP filament purchase link
Video
About YOUSU 3D
Yousu 3D is a professional manufacturer who focus on 3D printing filament, 3D resin and 3D pen. Our product line covers consumer
level to professional level market. For filament from PLA to PEEK, for 3d resin from water washable to dental and casting resin, for 3d
pen from normal 3d pen to world first one candy pen.
As an ISO 9001 certificated company all products are under good quality control. As a social responsibility all behavior meets
BSCI requirement. We are proud of our R&D, more than 20 patents includes 3 invent patents and we can do ODM/OEM business.
