Fast Analytics of High-Impact Polypropylene (HIPP)

High-impact polypropylenes (HIPPs) are complex blends, featuring a crystalline isotactic polypropylene matrix and a dispersed phase consisting of an amorphous ethylene/propylene copolymer (EPR). The relative amount of EPR and its composition heavily affect the application properties of the material and need to be accurately controlled. Standard analytical methods are time- and labor-intensive and require considerable amounts of sample and of a toxic solvent, xylene. Here, we introduce an analytical approach to HIPP characterization based on crystallization elution fractionation. The approach is fast, can be operated on just a few mg of sample, and does not require sophisticated and expensive techniques.