Polypropylene Rope

Polypropylene, also known as polypropene, is a type of thermoplastic polymer. It is commonly used to make rope, mainly thanks to its buoyancy, durability and resistance to some chemical products. This article takes a look at the history, uses and properties of polypropylene rope.

 

History

 

Polypropylene was invented by the German chemist, Karl Rehn. It wasn’t until 1957, when the Italian firm Montecatini started to produce it on a large-scale, that it became commercially available.

 

Costs

 

It is inexpensive, and it provides an economical option for companies who need to use a lot of rope in the manufacturing or transportation process.

 

Properties

 

Polypropylene floats and it doesn’t absorb water, making it suitable for use on boats and dinghies as mooring ropes. It has a low melting point and it can easily be damaged by fire. It also degrades in ultraviolet light, making it unsuitable for constant use in natural light. If the rope is required to be used externally, then a special layer of carbon black may be applied to the rope to prevent degradation from happening. Oxidization can also occur at high temperatures. Polypropylene is also slightly stretchy, which is useful in some circumstances.

 

Uses

 

It is commonly used as a common household rope. It is also used as a light duty pulling rope, for example as a small car tow rope, or water-ski tow ropes. Some swimming pools use the rope as a lane barriers, because of its floating properties. It can also be used to safely cover electric lines, due to its insulating properties.

 

Polypropylene rope is available to purchase from most large hardware stores. It is available in a wide variety of colours and different thicknesses. Often the rope comes on a large spool. A store assistant will be able to cut the rope to your desired length. If you don’t live locally to a hardware store, then you can always purchase the rope online. Online suppliers will be able to ship the rope to you wherever you live.

 

It is also possible to purchase environmentally friendly polypropylene ropes, which can be recycled.

 

 

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