Polypropylene
Polypropylene is built from a stereochemically demanding monomer, and the commercially dominant form — isotactic polypropylene — depends entirely on a catalyst that lines up every propylene unit's methyl group on the same side of the growing chain. That regular arrangement lets the chain crystallise into a strong, high-melting solid with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, good chemical resistance and a notably high working temperature compared with polyethylene, at a lower density still.
Chelora Chemicals supplies Polypropylene Resin to packaging, automotive, textile and consumer-goods manufacturers worldwide, in moisture-appropriate bulk packing, with a full batch COA and safety data sheet on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 9003-07-0
- IUPAC name
- Poly(propylene)
- Common name
- Polypropylene Resin (PP)
- Molecular formula
- (C3H6)n
- Molecular weight
- Homopolymer/copolymer — no single molecular weight; commercial resin Mw typically 200,000 – 500,000 depending on grade g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- Polymer — no single EINECS number (CAS-listed polymer)
- SMILES
- *CC(C)*
Note: this is a bulk polymer resin, not a discrete small molecule — the CAS number identifies the polymer class, and the properties that matter commercially (homopolymer vs. copolymer, tacticity, melt flow index) are set by grade rather than by a single fixed molecular weight; confirm the grade you need when you enquire.
What PP is used for
Polypropylene's isotactic (regularly arranged) form crystallises far more readily and completely than atactic (randomly arranged) polypropylene, which is essentially a soft, non-crystalline by-product with little commercial value on its own. Because propylene monomer is cheaper per unit weight and gives a lower-density polymer than ethylene-based plastics, isotactic PP offers one of the best strength-to-weight and cost-to-performance ratios among commodity thermoplastics, and its notably higher melting point than polyethylene lets it handle hot-fill and dishwasher/microwave-safe applications polyethylene cannot.
Polypropylene's applications span rigid packaging (yoghurt and margarine tubs, caps and closures, bottle crates) valued for its high melting point and chemical resistance, textile and non-woven fibre (carpet backing, rope, hygiene-product non-wovens, spunbond fabric), automotive components (bumpers, interior trim, battery cases, often as glass- or talc-filled or impact-copolymer grades), and biaxially oriented film (BOPP) for flexible packaging and labelling. Random and impact copolymer grades (with a small ethylene comonomer content) extend PP's toughness at low temperature beyond what homopolymer PP can offer.
Related isomers & derivatives
Tacticity and comonomer content is what differentiates the polypropylene family, more than any single structural variation:
- Isotactic Homopolymer PP (regular methyl-group arrangement, CAS 9003-07-0) — this product's most common grade. High crystallinity, stiffness and melting point, for rigid packaging, fibre and general moulding.
- Random Copolymer PP (small, randomly distributed ethylene comonomer content) — lower melting point and improved clarity/flexibility, used for clear packaging and hot-fill applications.
- Impact Copolymer PP (rubber-phase ethylene-propylene comonomer content) — significantly improved low-temperature impact resistance, used for automotive parts and appliance housings where PP homopolymer would be too brittle in cold conditions.
If your moulding or fibre-spinning process is qualified against a specific homopolymer/copolymer type and melt-flow-index range, confirm that grade on your purchase order — PP homopolymer, random copolymer and impact copolymer are not freely interchangeable.
Appearance and handling character
This product ships as translucent to opaque solid resin pellets, typically 2–4 mm in size, supplied natural or pre-coloured to your specification. It is non-hygroscopic and generally does not require pre-drying before extrusion or moulding, though good housekeeping against dust and contamination is still recommended for cosmetic or food-contact applications.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Translucent to opaque solid pellets, typically 2–4 mm; natural or pre-coloured |
| Assay (Melt flow index per ASTM D1238) | Resin conforms to grade MFI spec (typically 0.3 – 100 g/10 min depending on grade) |
| Melting point | ≈ 160 – 166 °C (homopolymer, isotactic) |
| Moisture | Reported per batch |
| Colour / impurity profile | Reported per batch |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial grade material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document. If your process demands a tighter specification, send it to us and we will quote against it rather than against a generic grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Translucent to opaque solid resin pellets |
| Melting point | ≈ 160 – 166 °C (homopolymer, isotactic) |
| Boiling point | Decomposes above ≈300 °C rather than boiling |
| Flash point | Not applicable in solid pellet form (combustible solid; see SDS for dust handling) |
| Relative density | ≈ 0.90 – 0.91 g/cm³ (lowest density of the major commodity thermoplastics) |
| Water solubility | Insoluble in water; non-hygroscopic |
| Organic solubility | Resistant to most acids, alkalis and polar solvents at room temperature; swollen by some hot hydrocarbons |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 9003-07-0 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this molecule to work
Its high melting point, low density and versatile family of homopolymer, random and impact copolymer grades are what carry polypropylene into rigid packaging, fibre, automotive and film applications across a very wide range of everyday manufactured products.
Rigid packaging (tubs, caps, closures)
A major application: PP's high melting point and chemical resistance make it the standard resin for yoghurt and margarine tubs, bottle caps and closures, and reusable containers.
- Confirm your required MFI and homopolymer/copolymer type
- Talk to our technical desk about your specification
Textile & non-woven fibre
Melt-spun into carpet backing, rope, and non-woven fabric for hygiene products, medical drapes and geotextiles.
- See our polymer & resin range
Automotive components
Impact-copolymer and filled (glass/talc) grades are injection moulded into bumpers, interior trim, battery cases and other automotive components requiring toughness across a wide temperature range.
- Ask about glass- or talc-filled compound grades
Biaxially oriented film (BOPP)
Film-grade PP is biaxially oriented into clear, high-strength film used in flexible packaging, labelling and tape applications.
- Confirm your target film gauge and orientation process
Random copolymer clear packaging
Random copolymer grades offer improved clarity and lower melting point, used for clear rigid packaging and hot-fill containers.
- Custom compounding and colour matching available
Contract & scheduled supply
Packaging, automotive and fibre manufacturers running to a production schedule can hold contracted quantity, released against their batch plan.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
How we supply Polypropylene
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. We own no plant of our own — on an intermediate like this one, that independence lets us find the source that can actually deliver your specification and timeline rather than whatever a single captive unit happens to be running.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your assay, your colour or purity requirement, your price point and your delivery window.
Where a dedicated second source is not readily available, we tell you plainly rather than overstating supply security — and we work with you on lead-time planning accordingly.
- Grade, tacticity and MFI confirmed before quoting. We confirm whether your process is qualified for homopolymer, random copolymer or impact copolymer PP, and the melt-flow-index range required, before we quote a price.
- Full batch documentation as standard. COA and safety data sheet accompany every consignment.
- Colour and clarity checked for sensitive applications. For clear packaging and light-coloured moulding applications, we confirm haze and colour parameters against the batch COA before shipment.
- Appropriate bulk packing. We pack this resin in bags or bulk containers appropriate to your receiving infrastructure.
- Honest lead-time guidance. We tell you plainly if a particular grade or quantity will take longer than a stocked item, rather than promising a turnaround we cannot deliver.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Documentation, packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
Packed the way your lab or plant receives it
Tell us your quantity, physical form and destination and we will quote the packing and Incoterm that fits it.
Multi-wall bags
Multi-wall paper bags with an appropriate inner liner, palletised and shrink-wrapped — the standard format for converter-scale orders.
FIBC / jumbo bags
Bulk bags for larger-volume moulding, fibre and film customers, reducing per-kilo handling cost.
Bulk rail/road/sea container
Bulk pneumatic-loaded containers for the highest-volume repeat-contract buyers.
Trial & development samples
Small sealed samples for processing trials and mechanical qualification before committing to volume.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to.
Batch-plan despatch
Where your production runs to a batch schedule, we release contracted quantity against your calendar.
Check the batch SDS — it is the governing document
Polypropylene Resin is not classified as hazardous under GHS in its solid pelletised form. It presents a combustible-dust hazard if processed into fine powder, and molten resin presents a thermal-burn hazard during processing. Always read and follow the SDS supplied with your specific batch for processing and dust-handling guidance.
Classified hazards (treat conservatively)
Not classifiedas a hazardous substance under GHS in solid pellet form.Combustible dustnote: fine PP dust generated during regrinding or handling can present a dust-explosion hazard under specific conditions — follow your facility's combustible-dust procedures.Thermal hazardmolten resin during extrusion/moulding presents a burn hazard; use standard thermal-process PPE.
While the resin itself is not classified as hazardous, processors should still follow standard combustible-dust and thermal-burn precautions during regrinding and melt processing. Always read the SDS issued with your specific batch before finalising your handling procedure.
Spill & emergency orientation
Plan your response before the container arrives, not after a spill occurs. The points below are orientation for your emergency planners — sections 4, 5 and 6 of the SDS are the authoritative instructions and should be posted at the point of use.
- Treat any skin contact, ingestion or inhalation as an emergency — seek medical attention promptly rather than waiting to see whether symptoms develop.
- Contain, do not hose to drain. Sweep or collect the solid, or contain the liquid with absorbent material, into a labelled waste container.
- Avoid breathing dust, fume, gas, mist, vapours or spray during any handling or spill response.
- Wash skin thoroughly after any contact and remove contaminated clothing immediately.
- Have the SDS with the casualty at all times so the treating clinician has the product identity, CAS number and hazard classification in hand.
Storage
- Store in a cool, dry warehouse, off the ground and away from direct sunlight, since prolonged UV exposure degrades unstabilised PP, causing embrittlement and colour change.
- Keep original packaging sealed until use, to limit dust and contamination pickup, particularly for food-contact or cosmetic-finish applications.
- Rotate stock on a first-in, first-out basis, as a general good-practice measure for bulk resin inventory.
- Follow your facility's combustible-dust procedures, when handling reground flake or fine regrind fractions.
Handling & PPE
- Design exposure out where practical. Closed transfer, local exhaust ventilation and mechanical charging reduce risk regardless of scale.
- Full-coverage, chemical-resistant skin protection as a conservative default — gloves and coveralls, avoiding bare-skin contact.
- Respiratory protection wherever dust, mist or vapour may be present, per your exposure assessment.
- Eye protection and an accessible eyewash and safety shower at every handling point.
- Never discharge to drain or watercourse. The aquatic-toxicity classification applies — dispose of waste as regulated chemical waste.
Transport
We confirm and apply the correct transport classification for every consignment of this compound based on your specific batch's documentation, rather than assuming a fixed classification. We classify each shipment, apply appropriate packaging and labelling, and file the export documentation before booking — ask us for the current paperwork when you plan the shipment.
What travels with every consignment
A chemical shipment is only as good as the file that travels with it. Verifying what the source plant sends is precisely the work you are buying from a supplier.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-specific assay, appearance, and impurity profile — checked against your purchase specification before we release the goods.
Safety Data Sheet
Full 16-section SDS covering hazards, exposure controls, handling, storage, spill response and disposal, matched precisely to the batch you receive — issued in the language your destination requires.
Transport documentation
Correct classification, packaging and labelling confirmed and filed before the container is booked, whichever transport category the batch falls under.
Certificate of Origin
Chamber-attested where required, plus preferential-origin forms where a trade agreement gives your import duty relief at the destination.
Third-party inspection
SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas sampling and inspection arranged on request before loading, giving you independent verification of what actually ships.
Retained & pre-shipment samples
Pre-shipment samples carry the same COA as the commercial lot, so what your laboratory qualifies is exactly what arrives. Retention samples held against the batch.
A stereoregular polyolefin, crystalline by catalyst design
Polypropylene is manufactured by stereospecific coordination polymerisation of propylene using Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalysts, in bulk (liquid-phase) or gas-phase processes. The notes below are general background, not process instructions.
Start from propylene
Propylene (see our Propylene product page) is the primary monomer; a small proportion of ethylene comonomer is added for random or impact copolymer grades.
Stereospecific coordination polymerisation
Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalysts enforce the isotactic arrangement during polymerisation, with comonomer content controlled for copolymer grades.
Pelletise and compound with additives
The polymer is pelletised and compounded with antioxidants, nucleating agents, fillers (glass/talc) or colourants depending on the target grade.
Test and certify MFI and mechanical properties
Melt flow index, and for filled/impact grades, mechanical property testing, certify the material against the target grade before release.
Why isomer and substitution pattern matter
Because homopolymer/copolymer type, tacticity and MFI are the parameters your moulding, fibre or film process is actually qualified against, substituting a different PP grade — or a different resin family entirely — changes processing behaviour and part performance directly:
- Homopolymer PP used where impact-copolymer toughness was required will be significantly more brittle at low temperature than your application needs.
- HDPE or another polyolefin substituted for PP has a lower melting point and higher density, and will not meet hot-fill or high-temperature service requirements PP grades are chosen for.
- A different comonomer content than your process is qualified for changes clarity, melting point and impact performance even at matched MFI.
- Recycled or regrind content above your process tolerance can reduce mechanical properties and should be confirmed against your specification before ordering.
That chain of consequences is the reason we quote against your written specification rather than a generic grade, and the reason the batch COA is shared for approval before dispatch rather than sent with the invoice.
| Intermediate | Principal outlet |
|---|---|
| Polypropylene CAS 9003-07-0 — this product | Packaging, fibre & automotive resin Isotactic polyolefin |
| Propylene CAS 115-07-1 | Polypropylene monomer See our product page |
If your route calls for one of the others, we supply those as well — see the full intermediate range. Send the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before quoting.
What actually moves the price of this intermediate
Knowing what drives the quote helps you plan a purchase realistically.
Producer base & capacity
A large number of petrochemical manufacturers produce polypropylene at commercial scale worldwide, typically integrated with propylene cracker or refinery FCC capacity; pricing tracks propylene feedstock cost and regional supply/demand balance closely.
- Qualify a source well ahead of when you need volume
- Custom production runs may carry longer lead times
- We are transparent about single-source risk here
Upstream feedstock
The route runs through propylene (see our Propylene product page), with a small ethylene comonomer addition for copolymer grades. These feedstock costs feed through within a quarter or so.
- Feedstock cost sets the floor on price
- We flag feedstock-driven moves in the quote
Purity and grade tier
Higher-purity, tightly specified material prices above a general technical grade. Tell us your actual end use and we will avoid over-specifying.
- Tell us the reaction you are running
- We will say when a tighter spec is unnecessary
Order size and pack format
Most buyers order in commercial pack sizes rather than bulk tonnage. If your requirement genuinely is bulk, tell us early — the sourcing conversation is quite different from a small commercial order.
- Small commercial packs are readily available
- Bulk orders need advance lead-time planning
Freight considerations
Confirm the correct transport classification for your specific batch — this affects freight cost and available carrier options, and we handle that confirmation as part of every quote.
- Classification confirmed per batch
- We quote FOB, CIF, CFR or DDP as you prefer
Lead time realism
We would rather tell you honestly that a custom lot will take several weeks than promise a stocked-item turnaround we cannot deliver.
- Ask early for the most accurate lead time
- Sample qualification adds time but reduces risk
| If your end use is… | Specify |
|---|---|
| Rigid packaging (tubs, caps, closures) | Confirm MFI and homopolymer/copolymer type |
| Textile / non-woven fibre | Confirm fibre-spinning MFI grade |
| Automotive components | Confirm impact-copolymer and filler requirements |
| BOPP film | Confirm target gauge and orientation-line requirements |
Not sure which row you are in? Describe the reaction you are running and our technical desk will confirm the exact grade you need.
Support that goes beyond shipping the pack
What our technical desk will do
- Confirm the exact isomer and substitution pattern. With closely related nitroaromatic isomers in this family, we check the CAS number before we quote, every time.
- Verify the hazard classification against your specific batch. We do not rely on a single reference source — we check the SDS for the lot we are quoting.
- Give you honest lead-time guidance for a product that may not always be stocked.
- Review your specification before it goes into a contract, so you are not locked into a limit that no plant can consistently hit.
Regulatory & compliance notes
- Import controls vary by destination. We check the destination rules before quoting, not after you have raised the PO.
- Chemical inventory listings differ between regions. Confirm your obligations under the applicable inventory regime for your import volume — we will supply the identity data you need for that filing.
- Transport classification is confirmed for every batch based on its own documentation and filed before booking.
- Downstream regulatory status of whatever you build from this intermediate is a separate question your own regulatory team should confirm for your specific finished product.
None of the above is legal advice — your own regulatory affairs team owns the final compliance position for your import. What we commit to is giving you accurate product identity data, an honest statement of the hazard classification for your specific batch, and complete documentation to work from.
From enquiry to delivered pack
Send the specification
Product name or CAS 9003-07-0, the assay and purity limits you work to, quantity, pack preference and destination port.
Receive a firm quote
Pricing, realistic lead time, packing and Incoterm confirmed in writing within 24 hours — our sourcing desk is staffed around the clock.
Qualify and approve
Sample dispatched if you are qualifying a new source. Batch COA and matching SDS shared for your approval before the material is released.
Ship and track
Correct classification confirmed, freight booked, export documents issued, and the consignment tracked through transit and clearance to your plant.
Other nitroaromatic intermediates we supply
What buyers ask us about Polypropylene
What is Polypropylene mainly used for?
What is the difference between PP homopolymer, random copolymer and impact copolymer?
Why is Polypropylene often chosen over polyethylene?
Do you supply glass- or talc-filled Polypropylene compounds?
What is the minimum order quantity?
How long does delivery take?
What paperwork comes with the consignment?
- Batch certificate of analysis (MFI, mechanical properties)
- Safety data sheet
- Food-contact or automotive certification where applicable
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading
- Certificate of origin and any destination-specific forms
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Request pricing on Polypropylene
Send your required assay, quantity, pack format and destination port. Our sourcing desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and comes back with pricing, an honest lead time, and packing options for whatever volume you need.