PET

material

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a thermoplastic polyester resin known for its clarity, strength, and barrier properties, commonly used in bottles, containers, and textile fibers.

In Simple Terms

PET is one of the most widely recycled plastics, easily recognized by the #1 recycling symbol on bottles. It's crystal clear when processed properly, lightweight yet strong, and provides excellent barrier protection against moisture and gases, making it ideal for food and beverage packaging.

Why It Matters

PET represents a significant portion of the global plastic resin market with strong demand from beverage, food packaging, and textile industries. Its recyclability makes it increasingly valuable as sustainability regulations tighten, and virgin PET pricing directly impacts packaging costs across multiple sectors.

Technical Details

PET has a glass transition temperature around 70-80°C and melting point of 250-260°C. Intrinsic viscosity typically ranges from 0.70-0.85 dL/g for bottle grade resins. Processing requires careful moisture control (<50ppm) and temperatures of 270-290°C to prevent hydrolytic degradation. Crystallinity can be controlled through cooling rates to achieve clear amorphous or opaque crystalline products.

Real-World Examples

Bottle Grade PET Trading

A beverage company purchases bottle grade PET with IV 0.80-0.84 dL/g, requiring certificates showing acetaldehyde content <1ppm and color values meeting FDA food contact requirements for carbonated drink bottles.

Recycled PET Pricing

Post-consumer recycled PET (rPET) trades at premium to virgin resin due to sustainability mandates, with buyers specifying maximum contamination levels and requiring detailed supply chain documentation for recycled content claims.

Film Grade PET Processing

Packaging film processors require PET with specific molecular weight distribution and low oligomer content to achieve proper orientation and clarity during biaxial stretching operations.