Paul Hogan and Robert Banks were experimenting with high-octane gasoline when they discovered crystalline polypropylene. Polypropylene is one of those rather versatile polymers out there. It serves double duty, both as a plastic and as a fiber. As a plastic it's used to make things like dishwasher, safe food containers. It can do this because it doesn't melt below 160oC, or 320oF.
As a fiber, polypropylene is used to make indoor-outdoor carpeting, the kind that you always find around swimming pools and miniature golf courses. It works well for outdoor carpet because it is easy to make colored polypropylene, and because polypropylene doesn't absorb water, like nylon does. You can get more information about Polypropylene at www.worldofplastic.net
Structurally, it is a vinyl polymer, and is similar to polyethylene, only that on every other carbon atom in the backbone chain has a methyl group attached to it. Polypropylene can be made from the monomer propylene by Ziegler-Natta polymerization.
Polypropylene possesses excellent resistance to organic solvents, degreasing agents and electrolytic attack. It has lower impact strength, but its working temperatures and tensile strength are superior to low or high density polyethylene. It is light in weight, resistant to staining, and has a low moisture absorption rate. This is a tough, heat-resistant, semi-rigid material, ideal for the transfer of hot liquids or gases. It is recommended for vacuum systems and where higher heats and pressures are encountered. It has excellent resistance to acids and alkalies, but poor aromatic, aliphatic and chlorinated solvent resistance.