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Different Methods of PET Production and Its Economy

Article  in  European Journal of Scientific Research · July 2013

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 European Journal of Scientific Research
ISSN 1450-216X Vol 107 No 1 July 2013
© EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2013
http://www.europeanjournalofscientificresearch.com
Different Methods of PET Production and Its Economy
Reza Bornak
Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch - Faculty Engineering, Department of Chemical
Engineering, Tehran, Iran
Email: st_rbornak@azad.ac.ir

Abstract
In this article, we review some aspect of production PET and its economy including capital
cost and Operating costs. Also, some quantities such as crystallization of the polymer and methods of
measuring the crystallization of the polymer have been studied. We reach a conclusion that the NG3
process for its ROI has advantage over other processes. This advantage is due to replacing certain
stages of liquid phase density polymerization with suitable solid state polymerization (SSP). We will
expect that NG3 or any other process that uses similar principles will obtain market shares for new
capacity of PET, because it is the most profitable way for investment.
Keywords: PET production, polymer, solid state polymerization (SSP)
1. Introduction
poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and
is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers. Depending on its processing and
thermal history, polyethylene terephthalate may exist both as an amorphous (transparent) and as a
semi-crystalline polymer. PET in its natural state is a colorless, semi-crystalline resin. Based on how it
is processed, PET can be semi-rigid to rigid, and it is very lightweight. PET was patented in 1941
by John Rex Whinfield, James Tennant Dickson in Delaware, USA. PET resin in 1953 used as textile
fibers and shortly after, it was introduced in the film forms. First, PET injection molding resins were
introduced in 1966 and following the blow molding bottles was introduced in 1973. One of the most
important characteristics of PET is referred to as intrinsic viscosity (IV). The intrinsic viscosity of the
material, it found by extrapolating to zero concentration of relative viscosity to concentration which is
measured in deciliters per gram (dℓ/g). Intrinsic viscosity is dependent upon the length of its polymer
chains but has no units due to being extrapolated to zero concentration. The longer the polymer chains
the more entanglements between chains and therefore the higher the viscosity. The needed intrinsic
viscosity for using in engineering thermoplastics and films is about 0.62 dℓ/g, which it can be obtained
from the melting polymerization. The material with higher intrinsic viscosity needs to one additional
solid state polymerization. Bottle type of PET has 0.82 dℓ/g IV. Thermo foam plates and crystallized
PET have 9.84 dℓ/g and 0.90 dℓ/g IV respectively. Rubber thread and industrial fiber need 1.04 dℓ/g
and 1.10 dℓ/g IV. PET with low IV, about 0.6 dℓ/g, will be used in the flax fibers and wool fibers. PET
resin with IV of about 0.8 dℓ/g is used in packaging (especially beverage packaging). Process
economics program at January of year 2000 in US, Western Europe, and Japan was 30.4 billion pound
per year, 13.8 million ton per year. Global consumption of PET at year 2000 was 57 billion pound per
year, 25.9 million ton per year). In the context of textile applications, PET is referred to by its common
name, polyester, whereas the acronym "PET" is generally used in relation to packaging. Polyester
fiber, bottle resin, film and engineering resins use 72%, 18%, 7% and 3% of the global capacity of the
PET, respectively. Because of its high mechanical strength, PET film is often used in tape applications,
such as the carrier for magnetic tape or backing for pressure sensitive adhesive tapes. In this study, we
review some aspect of production PET and its economy including capital cost and Operating costs.
Also, some quantities such as crystallization of the polymer and methods of measuring the
crystallization of the polymer have been studied.

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