Understanding Polyprene

[twgFire]

Hi all, I work in the Fire Service industry and recently the Polyprene truck body became popular. I've been trying to find more information on this material, and all I've been able to come up with is that, it's a mix of polyethylene and polypropylene. It usually comes in sheet stock. Anyone with any information on polyprene will be helpful.

Thanks.

 

[patprimmer]

I just found this site. It was the second hit on my search.

http://www.propolyamerica.com/technology.htm

It is strongly self promoting with some strongly biased comments.

It seems polyprene is a trade name for polypropylene co-polymer.

Many polypropylene manufacturers make various co-polymer compounds. Many of these can easily be extruded into sheet.

A search of major polypropylene suppliers sites will yield information on a vast variety of polypropylene co-polymers grades ans types.

Regards

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[Demon3]

Yes, I agree with Pat. It's first important to realise it's not a blend of PE and PP, that would not have good properties. It's a copolymer of ethylene and propylene. As mentioned that web page is full of marketing trash and few facts. In reality such copolymers are available from many suppliers and are nothing as spectacular as claimed on the web page. Contact for example Borealis for information on PP copolymers. As a general comment such copolymers are used to get a good balance of properties at low cost, in particular the inclusion of ethylene helps the impact resistance at low temperatures compared to PP homopolymer.