In today's industrial world, it's hard to find someone who hasn't heard of PET or Polyethylene Terephthalate. From plastic beverage bottles and packaging containers to the textile industry, electronics, automotive industry... PET or PETE is a recyclable thermoplastic polymer with widespread applications, belonging to the polyester family.
The chemical formula of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) consists of raw crude oil hydrocarbons including Terephthalic Acid and Ethylene Glycol. By adding certain catalysts under industrial conditions, PET containers are formed. These materials melt at high temperatures, creating a rubbery form which is then cooled by specialized machines and molded according to the desired shape.
PET can be transformed into fibers, fabrics, packaging sheets, and more. Interestingly, this material is naturally very flexible, colorless, and semi-crystalline. The excellent combination and high versatility in producing PET containers have established it as one of the most commonly used polymers in the industry. Due to its production process, it can be hardened or semi-hardened. Some features of PET include high stability, resistance to impact, moisture, alcohol, and chemical solvents.
There are various grades of PET available in the market, including glass fiber reinforced, unreinforced, and flame-resistant. Products made from PET are 100% recyclable, with PET being the most recycled plastic worldwide.
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