Oligoester and polyester production via acido-alcoholysis of PET waste

Abstract

A new chemical way has been introduced to recycle poly(ethylene terephthalate) via acido-alcoholysis. Acido-alcoholysis has been developed as a green way to produce oligoesters from PET waste which can be used as building blocks to new compostable polyesters. Organic acids and 1,4-butanediol were used as reagents. The solvolysis products were further reacted with diglycidyl ethers of different diols to obtain higher molecular weight polyesters. The resulted materials were tested with GPC, FTIR, TGA, functional group analysis methods and composting. It was found that the reagents in acido-alcoholysis fully incorporated into the reaction product obtaining oligoesters with carboxyl and hydroxyl end groups. Significant mass loss and fragmentation was observed on oligo- and polyesters after composting.