Short for polypropylene, a cheap, light, hydrophobic polyolefin that melts at about 160 to 165 degrees C and spins easily. Spunbond grades typically have a melt flow rate around 25 to 40, while meltblown grades run far higher, often above 1,000. It dominates hygiene, medical and filtration nonwovens and needs a surfactant finish wherever the fabric must take in or pass liquid.
We run PP homopolymer on the spunbond beams and the high-MFR grade on the MB.
Also heard as
- polypropylene
- polyprop
Related terms
Melt flow rate
Grams of molten polymer pushed through a standard die in 10 minutes, the basic measure of how easily a resin flows.
Spunbond
Nonwoven of continuous filaments extruded, air-drawn and laid on a belt, then usually bonded by a hot calender.
Meltblown
Web of very fine fibers made by blasting molten polymer from a row of tiny die holes with hot, high-speed air.
Chips
Shop word for the polymer pellets fed to spunbond, meltblown and fiber extrusion lines.