Additives for the Modification of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) to Produce Engineering-Grade Polymers

Glass-filled, toughened poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) resins can be readily moulded into highly impact-resistant structural parts for appliances and automotive components. The PET-based compounds are also suitable for construction (e.g. as structural members), equipment housings (e.g. printer and copier parts), agricultural applications (e.g. mower and tractor engine covers), materials handling (e.g. pallets and trays), furniture (e.g. office chair bases), as well as electrical and electronic applications. PET may be considered a low-cost raw material for the production of engineering compounds due to its widespread availability from recycled beverage bottles. Its abundant availability and good molecular weight make it an excellent precursor for the production of toughened compounds that can in many cases compete directly with toughened and glass-filled nylons at a considerable cost advantage. PET however, has numerous shortcomings from the perspective of an injection moulding compound. Unmodified PET is generally not useful as an injection moulding resin because of its slow crystallization rate and the tendency to embrittle upon crystallization. For these reasons, PET has not traditionally