Polypropylene, one of the most widely used plastics for packaging applications, is increasingly applied also in the
medical area and for pharmaceutical packaging, where the material is mostly sterilized. To gain an overview of
sterilizsation effects various polypropylene grades different in structure and additivation were investigated in two
forms – cast film and injection molded – and with five different sterilization techniques. Attention was payed to
radiation-induced degradation and thermally stimulated post-crystallization, which continue for a long time after the
actual sterilization event. Special copolymers can be an interesting solution to embrittlement problems occurring
with standard grades, but also special stabilization systems can be used.