PP vs PPSU: Showdown in Plastic Water Cup Production (Part 3)

There are stories in every cup, and warmth in everyday life. Hello everyone, welcome to "Dong Dong's Cup Talk"

Summer is the peak selling season for plastic water cups. At this time every year, many consumers who cannot tell plastic materials apart leave me messages. Their questions are varied, but all focus on material safety. People worry that unsafe plastic cup materials may harm their health. https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmlToday I will give an in-depth analysis of two pairs of easily confused materials: the differences between PC and PCTG, as well as between PP and PPSU.

With years of experience in the water cup industry, I will refer to technical documents from our factory’s professional material engineers, combined with mass production verification, performance test data and real application scenarios. I’ll break down the core differences among the four materials, analyzing them from safety, https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmlmechanical properties, temperature resistance, drop resistance and applicable crowds, to help you clearly distinguish materials that look similar and choose the right drinking cup.

Both PP and PPSU are BPA-free, safe and high-temperature resistant materials, widely used in maternal and infant water cups, baby bottles, vacuum flask liners and other products. Though both feature safety, they differ greatly in performance, https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmldurability and cost, positioning PP as the budget entry-level option and PPSU as the high-end maternal and infant grade.

1. Basic Material Properties and Tensile Characteristics

PP Material

Tensile strength: 30–35 MPa. It has decent toughness but insufficient rigidity, and is prone to deformation under force.

Charpy impact strength: 40–50 kJ/m². It offers moderate drop resistance, yet the surface scratches easily and ages quickly with long-term use.

It is mostly translucent or milky white with a matte finish. https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmlIt easily absorbs pigments and odors from fruit juice, coffee and other drinks, and is hard to clean.

PPSU Material

Tensile strength: 70–75 MPa. It achieves a perfect balance of rigidity and toughness, resisting deformation and cracking under force.

Charpy impact strength: 72–90 kJ/m². It delivers superior impact resistance, wear resistance and anti-aging performance with an extremely long service life.

It features an amber translucent appearance with a porcelain-like texture. https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmlIt does not absorb pigments or odors, and can be cleaned simply with clean water.

2. Temperature Resistance and Usage Limitations

PP Material

Heat deflection temperature: 110–120°C. It is the only plastic material safe for microwave use. Cold resistance limit: -20°C.

It tends to age, yellow and deform under prolonged high-temperature exposure. It has poor acid and alkali resistance; long-term storage of fruit juice, https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmlcarbonated drinks or coffee will cause corrosion and shorten its service life.

PPSU Material

Heat deflection temperature: 180–207°C. It withstands boiling water brewing, high-temperature steam disinfection and cooking sterilization. Cold resistance limit: -50°C.

It boasts excellent chemical stability with great resistance to oil, acid and alkali. When used for a long time in high-temperature, acidic or alkaline environments, https://www.zhanyict.com/en/ProductsDetail-VB-10332.htmlit won’t age, deform or release harmful substances, making it ideal for frequent disinfection and demanding usage scenarios.