New catalyst developed for PP production, creating the strongest version of the plastic

09-Jun-12

A new catalyst for the polypropylene production process, ultimately producing the strongest version of the plastic that has been created to date, has been developed by Prof. Kol and his team of researchers. "Everyone is using the same building blocks, so the key is to use different machinery," he explains. With their catalyst, the researchers have produced the most accurate or "regular" polypropylene ever made, reaching the highest melting point to date. Moshe Kol, professor of chemistry at the Tel Aviv University (TAU) says that this could have a long-term impact on many industries. Prof. Kol believes that the answer could lie in the catalysts, the chemicals that enable their production. Plastics consist of very long chains called polymers, made of simple building blocks assembled in a repeating pattern. Polymerization catalysts are responsible for connecting these building blocks and create a polymer chain. The better the catalyst, the more orderly and well-defined the chain. This leads to a plastic with a higher melting point and greater strength and durability. This is why the catalyst is a crucial part of the plastic production process. "Everyone is using the same building blocks, so the key is to use different machinery," he explains. With their catalyst, the researchers have produced the most accurate or "regular" polypropylene ever made, reaching the highest melting point to date.