Why has PET plastic become so popular?

PET plastic or PETE, also known as polyethylene terephthalate is the most common thermoplastic polymer in the world. In the textile industry, the commercial name of this material is “polyester”. It is a natural semi-crystalline transparent plastic used as a moisture barrier for fiber clothing, for packaging, bottles, containers, also known as PET resin or PET, and even when combined with carbon nanotubes and glass fibers to increase the strength of engineering plastics.

The most important features of PET include its high strength-to-weight ratio, its resistance to water, and the fact that PET is shockproof, contrary to glass containers and packaging. PET is also an economical plastic that can be recycled.

History

In search of an effective polymer material for textile fibers, DuPont chemists pioneered the polymerization of PET in the 1940s. PET is made from the synthesis of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. Even without additives, PPET is strong and durable due to its light weight. Therefore, less material is required for packaging components and plastic films. Less fuel is also required to ship PET materials.

In addition, 40% of the energy in PET materials is stored internally and is available when recycled. In fact, PET life cycle studies consistently show that this material has a high degree of sustainability and a positive economic outlook.

The current global demand for PET materials exceeds 56 million tons. The main use of polyethylene is in the textile industry, which accounts for more than 60% of the market share. Packaging and bottles account for more than 40%.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) Properties

The most important properties of PET and PETE are:

Strength-to-weight ratio: PET is lightweight and surprisingly strong.

Chemical resistance: PET does not react with water, food and other substances, making it safe for consumer packaging products.
Transparency: PET is a naturally clear material. If higher transmittance is required, polycarbonate or acrylic may be preferred.
Shatterproof: PET will not crack or break, making it a preferred material over glass containers.

Polyethylene terephthalate is known as a thermoplastic material. This refers to the way PET plastic responds to various temperatures, primarily heat. A thermoplastic material will fluidize at its melting point. For PET, this temperature is 260 degrees Celsius.

What makes PET plastics so useful is that they can be heated, cooled, and reused without noticeable degradation. Rather than burning, thermoplastics can be injection molded and subsequently enter the recycling process. Thermosets, on the other hand, can only enter this process once. The first heating of these plastics causes a chemical change in the material that cannot be reversed. If you try to repeat this process, the plastic will simply burn. This factor makes them a poor recycling choice.

Why is PET used so frequently?

Some of the factors that make PET plastic so sought after are the fact that it is extremely strong, lightweight, virtually unbreakable, and non-reactive with substances such as water and food.

These unique properties, coupled with its low price and wide range of applications, not to mention the environmentally friendly and recyclable aspects, make PET plastic an almost unbeatable packaging solution for consumer goods.

Not only is PET a top choice for a variety of containers and bottles, but the polyester used to make the fabric is also very flexible when paired with cotton. This reduces shrinkage and wrinkling, not to mention increased resistance to fabric tearing.