Polyethylene terephthalate

Polyethylene terephthalate is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and
is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foods, thermoforming for manufacturing.

Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in their main chain.

Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from coal, air, water, and petroleum. Developed in a 20th-century
laboratory, polyester fibers are formed from a chemical reaction between an acid and alcohol.

History

PET was first synthesized in the U.S. during the mid-1940s by DuPont chemists, who were searching for
polymers that could be used to make new textile fibers. ... In the early 1970s, the technology was
developed to allow for the blow-stretch molding of PET into strong, lightweight and shatterproof bottles.

When PET is used for bottles, containers and other applications, it is called PET or PET resin. When PET is
used as a fiber, it is typically called polyester. The PET bottle was invented by Nathaniel C. Wyeth, a
DuPont engineer and brother of American painter Andrew Wyeth.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly used plastic in the packaging industry. Common PET
products include:

• Take-out containers

• Baked goods containers

• Bottled water

• Ketchup

• Jars (peanut butter and mayonnaise)

• Juices and carbonated drinks

• Frozen foods
PET Plastic Characteristics

• High clarity

• Good chemical resistance

• Good gas and moisture barrier

• High impact resistance

• Medium rigidity (semi-rigid to rigid)

• Medium scratch resistance

• Food contact safety

• Temperature tolerance of -50 degrees F to 110 degrees F

Advantages

PET plastic has a variety of characteristics that make it desirable for use as packaging material

.• PET is suitable for varied uses. Some of the factors that make it so versatile include:

• Transparent color

• Lightweight nature

• Strength

• Shatterproof qualities

shatterproof qualities ensure safe use in the kitchen, especially where parents might be baking with
their children

• Inherent barrier-like qualities

• Food safe material

• Recyclability
Consumer Benefits of Using PET Plastic ContainersPET plastic continues to be a prevalent material used
by packaging companies for other properties including

:• Ease of storage

• Easy cleaning

• Portability

• Ability to re-seal

Benefits of Using PET: Barrier-Like PropertiesPET’s inherent barrier properties protect and preserve
packaged products against moisture (oxygen migration) and carbon dioxide.• Advanced technologies can
increase protection for packaged products. These include: • Oxygen scavenger additives • Multi-layers
and laminate with additional oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties • Silicon oxide (glass) coatings
• Carbon coatings

Benefits of Using PET: Lightweight NaturePET packaged products:

• Increase efficiency in packaging and shipping

• Enable lighter secondary shipping

• Reduce fuel needs for shipping

• Minimize greenhouse emissions

Benefits of Using PET: Food SafetyPET is a food-safe material, making it a convenient choice for
packaging of food products.A few food safety elements of PET:

• FDA approved for food and beverage contact

• Low hazard (handling or inhaling)

• Does not contain BPA

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical found in many hard plastics that we use every day. Higher doses have
been linked to infertility and other health problems.

• Does not contain heavy metals

• Extremely low toxicity