PE and PP are materials that are used in everyday items.
They are mainly used in plastic bags and polyethylene buckets through a process called molding.
Molding materials are made by melting granular materials called pellets and placing them in a mold to harden,
In the cutting process, a material called a block or a round bar is cut out with a blade.
In this issue, we will explain PP and PE as cutting materials.

1. Types of PP and PE

PP and PE
PE is mainly classified into the following types

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
-Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE)

PE for cutting is HDPE and UHME-PE, which have higher density and molecular weight than LDPE.
Higher density has a higher melting point and is harder, but transparency is worse.

PP
Strictly speaking, there are several types of PP, such as those filled with glass fiber.
The characteristics of PP and PE will be compared based on the basic grade.

Properties of PP and PE

The properties of both materials are very similar.
The common properties are as follows

Specific gravity of 0.9 to 0.95, smaller than water, and the lightest of all plastics.
・A general-purpose plastic with low unit cost and good availability.
It is compliant with the Food Sanitation Law and can be used in the food industry.
Basic weather resistance is poor (discoloration such as yellowing).
Superior chemical resistance
High impact resistance

3. Processability

Although the characteristics were similar, workability differs slightly.
The following are the processability of each grade.

PE
Soft and easily scratched.
Low water absorbency
Low heat resistance
Difficult to obtain dimensional accuracy.
Hard to remove burrs during processing.
Bending and adhesive processing are basically impossible.
UHMW-PE
Excellent abrasion resistance
Low coefficient of friction
Excellent sliding properties
More expensive than regular PE because it is an engineering plastic material

PP
Better workability than PE
Higher heat resistance than PE.
Bending and adhesive processing are basically impossible.
Scratch-resistant and glossy
Biocompatible and has applications as medical parts.

4. Summary

PP and PE are versatile among plastics and are used in a wide range of industrial fields due to their ease of use.
Applications include semiconductor manufacturing equipment parts, medical equipment parts, and food equipment parts.
The basic color of the material is natural, but PE polymers are available in green, black, etc., and PP is also available in blue, black, and other colors.
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