Propylene
The three-carbon olefin supplied by Chelora Chemicals — the monomer behind polypropylene and the feedstock for propylene oxide, acrylonitrile and phenol/acetone chemistry — exported from Indonesia by pressurised cylinder, ISO tank or pipeline with full batch documentation on every shipment.
What Propylene is, and why buyers source it
A working overview of the compound's chemistry, its position as the second-largest-volume olefin after ethylene, and the grade Chelora Chemicals keeps in regular supply.
Propylene is a three-carbon olefin: a terminal carbon-carbon double bond with a methyl group attached to one of the double-bond carbons. That methyl group's slight electron-donating effect makes the double bond marginally more nucleophilic than ethylene's, and the asymmetric structure it creates gives propylene-based polymers a methyl-branch backbone that ethylene homopolymer lacks — the structural basis of polypropylene's higher melting point and stiffness relative to polyethylene.
At room temperature and atmospheric pressure it is a colourless, flammable gas with a faint petroleum-like odour. Like ethylene, it is transported and stored either as a compressed gas in cylinders and tube trailers or as a pressurised liquid in bulk vessels and pipelines.
Where it fits in the value chain
Propylene's single largest end use is polymerisation to polypropylene, used across packaging, automotive components, textiles and household goods. Beyond polypropylene, propylene is oxidised to propylene oxide (the precursor to polyether polyols for polyurethane foam and to propylene glycol), alkylated with benzene to cumene (oxidised onward to phenol and acetone), ammoxidised to acrylonitrile (for acrylic fibre, ABS resin and nitrile rubber), and oxidised to acrylic acid for superabsorbent polymers and acrylate esters.
Grade we supply
Chelora Chemicals offers Propylene in polymer grade (99.5%+ purity), suited to polypropylene polymerisation and the full range of oxidation, alkylation and ammoxidation chemistry described above. The grade is supplied with a batch-wise certificate of analysis.
How Propylene is produced
An overview of the production route for orientation purposes. Our manufacturing partners' own process parameters and in-process controls are proprietary and are not disclosed beyond what is needed to interpret the certificate of analysis.
Propylene is recovered from two main industrial sources. The first is as a co-product of steam cracking: when a heavier feedstock such as naphtha or gas oil is cracked to produce ethylene, a substantial proportion of propylene is produced alongside it and separated out in the same cryogenic distillation train. The second, roughly equal in global volume, is as a by-product of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) in petroleum refineries, where heavy gas oil is cracked over a zeolite catalyst primarily to produce gasoline-range hydrocarbons, with propylene-rich off-gas recovered and purified separately.
Where on-purpose propylene supply is needed beyond what cracking and FCC co-production provide, dedicated routes such as propane dehydrogenation (PDH, catalytic removal of hydrogen from propane) and olefin metathesis (combining ethylene and butenes to redistribute them into propylene) are also used, particularly in regions with abundant, low-cost propane feedstock.
Industries and processes that use it
Propylene is consumed overwhelmingly by polypropylene manufacture, with substantial secondary demand from propylene oxide, cumene/phenol and acrylonitrile chemistry. The fields below account for most of the demand we see through our export desk.
Polypropylene Manufacture
Polymerised to polypropylene homopolymer and copolymer resins used across packaging, automotive parts, textiles and household goods.
Propylene Oxide / Polyol Chain
Oxidised to propylene oxide, the precursor to polyether polyols for polyurethane foam and to propylene glycol.
Cumene / Phenol-Acetone Chain
Alkylated with benzene to cumene, oxidised onward to phenol and acetone, feeding phenolic resins and polycarbonate.
Acrylonitrile & Acrylic Acid Chain
Ammoxidised to acrylonitrile for acrylic fibre, ABS and nitrile rubber, or oxidised to acrylic acid for superabsorbent polymers.
How the molecule is typically carried forward
The reactive carbon-carbon double bond and the adjacent methyl group govern almost all of this molecule's further reaction chemistry. Reaction classes below account for most of the ways Propylene is converted into a finished polymer or intermediate.
Stereoregular Addition Polymerisation
The double bond opens under a Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalyst and adds repeatedly in a controlled stereochemical arrangement, building the isotactic polypropylene chain.
Catalytic Oxidation
Reaction with an oxidant (via chlorohydrin or hydroperoxide routes) epoxidises the double bond, giving propylene oxide.
Friedel-Crafts Alkylation
Reaction with benzene over an acid catalyst substitutes the double bond onto the aromatic ring, giving cumene.
Catalytic Ammoxidation
Reaction with ammonia and oxygen over a catalyst converts the methyl group and double bond together into a nitrile, giving acrylonitrile.
Propylene against other olefins we supply
Buyers sourcing propylene for polymer or petrochemical synthesis often need the co-product olefins from the same cracker or refinery streams. A quick reference to what else is on our regular supply list.
| Product | CAS Number | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propylene | 115-07-1 | C3 olefin | The product on this page — the base monomer of the polypropylene and propylene-oxide chains. |
| Ethylene | 74-85-1 | C2 olefin | The co-product olefin from the same steam-cracking chain — see its product page. |
| Isobutylene | 115-11-7 | C4 olefin | A related C4 olefin recovered from the same mixed cracker/FCC C4 stream — see its product page. |
| 1-Butene | 106-98-9 | C4 olefin | A related linear C4 olefin used as a polyethylene comonomer — see its product page. |
Exact physical constants and purity specifications are confirmed per batch on the certificate of analysis — treat the notes above as a sourcing guide, not a specification sheet, for products other than Propylene.
Safety classification at a glance
Based on GHS classification as commonly listed for this substance. This is a summary for orientation only — always work from the current safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch.
Extremely flammable gas.
Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated.
Simple asphyxiant in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces by displacing oxygen.
Keep away from heat, sparks, open flame and all other ignition sources.
Flame-resistant workwear, gas detection and appropriate respiratory protection in confined-space work are the baseline for routine handling.
Handled as a compressed or liquefied gas; standard pressurised-gas handling precautions apply throughout.
Bond and ground all transfer equipment to prevent static discharge during loading and offloading.
Danger — GHS02 flammable and GHS04 gas-under-pressure pictograms apply.
This compound is an extremely flammable gas supplied under pressure, which may explode if heated, and acts as a simple asphyxiant in enclosed spaces by displacing oxygen. It must be handled with ignition-source control, gas detection and grounded/bonded transfer equipment at all times. Full first-aid, storage, spill and PPE guidance is in the MSDS issued with every shipment, and should be read in full before this material is handled.
Keeping it on spec between delivery and use
General storage guidance for this grade. Site-specific storage rules, segregation requirements and re-test intervals should follow your own EHS procedures and the MSDS issued with your batch.
Store and handle as a compressed or liquefied gas, in pressure-rated cylinders, tube trailers or ISO tanks, away from heat, sparks, open flame and oxidising gases, with adequate ventilation at all times. Cylinders and pressure vessels should be inspected and re-certified on the schedule required by local pressure-equipment regulations. Re-check purity on any material held beyond its agreed retest interval before use.
How it ships from Indonesia
Standard packing and export terms for this product. Confirm exact figures against your order — they vary slightly by destination and quantity.
What travels with every batch
Specification is agreed before the purchase order, not discovered on arrival. Every shipment of Propylene leaves with a documented, checkable paper trail.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-wise assay, colour and key physical constants, issued against the agreed specification so your QC team can check it, not just file it.
Safety Data Sheet
GHS-format SDS in English covering hazard classification, handling, storage, first-aid and spill response for the exact grade shipped.
Technical Data Sheet
Reference physical and chemical properties, recommended storage and typical applications, for internal circulation to your process or R&D teams.
Certificate of Origin
Confirms Indonesian origin for customs clearance and any preferential-duty claim at your destination port.
Dangerous Goods Declaration
UN packing group, classification and shipper's declaration prepared ahead of loading so documentation never holds up customs.
Third-Party Inspection
Independent pre-shipment inspection and re-sampling can be arranged on request, at your cost, for buyers who require it as a matter of policy.
Frequently asked questions
What buyers most often ask our sales desk about this grade.
01What is Propylene used for?+
02What is the CAS number of Propylene?+
03How is Propylene produced?+
04What purity grade does Chelora Chemicals supply?+
05Is Propylene hazardous?+
06Why does polypropylene have different properties from polyethylene if both are simple olefins?+
07What packing options are available?+
08How long does delivery take?+
09Can I get a sample before placing a bulk order?+
10Do you supply other olefins as well?+
Need Propylene on spec, on time?
Send us your required purity, quantity, packing preference and destination port. Our desk quotes most enquiries within one working day.