Dustpan

PP forms a light scoop that collects swept-up dust.

Dustpan, illustrative image

Material

Moulded scoop and handle: PP

Material selection rationale

Moulded thin wall
Makes a broad scoop without a heavy solid body.
Rigid shape
The sides keep collected debris inside the pan.
Thin lip and stiff scoop
The front edge must meet a floor closely while the scoop retains debris. A thick rigid rim and thin leading edge have different geometric functions.

How it becomes a product

  1. Mould the body: Molten PP fills a shaped tool, including the rim, ribs and handle features. The mould defines the scoop and its front edge; any elastomer lip is fitted or moulded as a separate material.
  2. Cool and finish: The part cools in the tool, is removed and has any excess material trimmed.

Preparation routes

Propene route

Catalytic addition polymerisation. Propene molecules join into chains. A suitable catalyst controls chain growth and the arrangement of the methyl side groups. Catalyst-controlled arrangement of methyl groups can favour regular packing. The monomer formula alone does not describe this tacticity.

A coordination catalyst system is used; it is not counted as a monomer. A thermoplastic moulding or foam uses already-made PP, not propene reacting inside the final product.

  1. Poly(propene): manufacture and usesChemical Industry Education Centre, University of York

Sources

  1. PEPPRIG dustpan: polypropylene bodyIKEA
  2. Poly(propene): manufacture and usesChemical Industry Education Centre, University of York
  3. A guide to polyolefin injection mouldingLyondellBasell