DEVELOPMENT OF MOISTURE RESISTANT RECYCLED POLY(ETHYLENETEREPHTHALATE)

摘要

The recycling activities related to poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET has been slow since the material is always thought to possess inferior properties when compared to virgin PET. This study involves the development of novel processing methods to significantly enhance the properties of recycled PET (RPET), especially in terms of moisture resistance. This is particularly important especially when RPET is used for further processing that involves heating such as injection molding, since the presence of moisture would severely degrade the material. The drying process of RPET pellets would also require at least a few hours, which could significantly affect production cycles. The improvement in moisture resistance can be realized through the control of crystallinity and morphological structure of the RPET pellets during compounding and extrusion processes.