Polypropylene Filament

Polypropylene (PP) filament is a new semi crystalline thermoplastic used in Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). 3DE PP filament is a homopolymer and has wonderful properties that make it a useful plastic. Polypropylene has a high level of flexibility yet has great toughness meaning it is elastic without being too soft. Polypropylene is resistant to many chemicals and has a high resistance to electricity making it useful in electronic components.

The versatile polypropylene is a plastic used in our everyday lives in the form of packaging, labeling, lab equipment, stationery, and more. One of the most beneficial uses of polypropylene is to create food safe containers because polypropylene is odorless and nontoxic. 

3D printers such as those based off of the RepRap model will leave printed objects with a porous structure, a perfect growth site for bacteria. Some users have dabbled in sealing printed objects in Polyurethane, but that still wouldn’t solve all of the issues with producing food safe products in current 3D printing standards. Another issue would be the dangers from extruder nozzles. If the nozzle is made of brass, then lead might leach into the print.

Temperature Specifications

Extrusion temperature for polypropylene filament is 230-260°C. Every 3D printer is different, and please check if the printer can print at high temperatures. Many printer parts and extruders are not designed for extremely high temperatures and will possibly melt at temperatures near or higher than 260°C.

Build Platform

Polypropylene (Recommended) - Naturally, polypropylene filament will stick well to a surface made out of polypropylene. The cheapest and easiest solution is to use clear packing tape made out of polypropylene. Most packing tapes are made out of polypropylene, although some packing tapes are made out of polyester, which will not work. Please simply make sure you are using packing tape made out of polypropylene. The build plate should be heated between 60°C to 110°C with an optimal temperature of 60°C. Varying print speeds with different extrusion temperatures can be used. In general, polypropylene filament will adhere really well to packing tape. Different brands of packing tape will give slightly differing results. An alternative to packing tape is to use a polypropylene sheet, which may be more difficult to get.