Polyethylene vs Polypropylene
Polyethylene and Polypropylene are genuine alternatives to one another — a choice somebody actually makes — and differ on 2 measured properties, density most clearly.
Polyethylene vs Polypropylene
Polyethylene
The most-produced plastic in the world — a chain of carbon and hydrogen, whose properties depend almost entirely on how the chains are branched.
Polypropylene
The lightest common plastic, and the only one that survives being bent forever — the living hinge, the food tub, and half the world's rope.
| Property | Polyethylene | Polypropylene |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 0.91–0.97 g/cm³ higher | 0.895–0.92 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 105–135 °C | 160–171 °C higher |
Choosing between them
Polypropylene is recorded as a substitute for Polyethylene — better at temperature, stronger.
What it gives up: More brittle in the cold, where polyethylene stays tough.
In this application, on the evidence cited above.