New Application of Off-grade Poly (ethylene terephthalate) via the Partial Glycolysis Method in order to Synthesize Maleated PET as a Compatiblizer for Preparing PET Nanocomposites

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) from off-grade product of industrial manufacturer was partially depolymerised, using excess ethylene glycol in the presence of metal acetate as a transesterification catalyst to synthesize the oligomers of PET. The glycolysis reactions were carried out at the boiling point of ethylene glycol under nitrogen atmosphere. Influences of reaction time, volume of EG, catalysts concentrations and particle size of off-grade PET on the yield of partial glycolytic products were investigated. Thermal analyses of glycolytic products are examined by DSC. The optimum samples were also characterized well by FT-IR, 1HNMR and 13CNMR. Then, maleated PET as a compatiblizer for preparing PET nanocomposites was produced via reaction between maleic anhydride/phthalic anhydride composition and PET oligomers obtained from glycolysis of PET