Investigation of the formation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with model molecules: Kinetics and mechanisms of the catalytic esterification and alcoholysis reactions. II. Catalysis by metallic derivatives (monofunctional reactants)

The reactions of model molecules were considered to study the kinetics and the mechanism of the esterification and the alcoholysis reactions catalyzed by various metal compounds (Li, Na, K, Zn, Co, Mn, Ti). Ti was found to be the most active catalyst for both reactions and to be acting via a different mechanism (concerted). The possible structure of the active titanium intermediate was investigated by means of ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, FT–IR spectroscopy, and electroconductivity.     

Investigation of the formation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with model molecules. III. Metal-catalyzed esterification and alcoholysis reactions: Influence of the structure of the reactants and of the nature of the reaction medium

With a reaction conducted on model molecules with low amounts of catalysts and at low temperatures (170–225°C), it was shown that esterification is mainly catalyzed by the carboxylic acid groups and by the titanium derivatives; the activity of the other metals can only be seen when the concentration in carboxylic acid groups is low. In the alcoholysis reaction, the activity of Zn, Mn, and (much less) Ti, decreases when the percentage of ester in the reaction medium decreases, whereas it is the opposite with Sb. Moreover, Zn, Mn, and Co are sensitive to trace amounts of carboxylic groups (their activity decreases), whereas Ti is much less affected.     

Investigation of the formation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with model molecules. IV. Catalysis of the esterification of ethylene glycol with benzoic acid and of the condensation of ethylene glycol monobenzoate

The esterfication of ethylene glycol (EG) with benzoic acid (BA) is an acid-catalyzed reaction which leads, as a first intermediate, to ethylene glycol monobenzoate (EGMB). This compound has an ? OH group which is more active towards carboxylic groups than the first ? OH group of EG. Moreover, it is a key intermediate in the formation of sideproducts containing diethylene glycol (DEG) moieties. The condensation reaction of EGMB was particularly studied in the presence of carboxylic acids or metal derivatives as catalysts. Titanium is the most active. Sb, which is widely used in the industrial synthesis of PET, needs to be present at a high level of concentration to show an activity. The presence of carboxylic groups in the reaction medium does not affect its activity, but it is necessary to remove the ethylene glycol as soon as it is formed in order to keep it active during the condensation reaction.     

Kinetic aspects of catalyzed reactions in the formation of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The influence of different types of catalysts on the polycondensation reaction has been studied in a model system. It has been found that two kinds of catalysts are to be distinguished. “Transesterification” catalysts (Mn, Pb, Zn) are very active in media having both a high and a low hydroxyl content. However, they are easily poisoned by very small amounts of carboxylic endgroups. This restricts their activity to the period of transesterification. The “polycondensation” catalyst antimony is insensitive to the presence of acidic endgroups. However, its activity is inversely proportional to the hydroxyl group concentration For this reason antimony is hardly effective during transesterification. During polycondensation it becomes gradually more active.     

Kinetics of structural relaxation of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The results of an experimental study of the kinetics of structural relaxation of amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) are reported. Samples were prepared by ultraquenching the melt on rotating stainless-steel discs. Two types of measurements by differential scanning calorimetry were made: (1) the dependence of the “fictive” (or “structural”) temperature T_f(q^?) introduced by Tool, on the cooling rate q^? and (2) the dependence of the glass transition temperature T_g on the heating rate q⁺. In this way the value x = 0.47 was obtained for the dimensionless parameter proposed by Narayanaswamy.     

Kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycolysis by diethylene glycol. I. Evolution of liquid and solid phases

The kinetics of uncatalysed glycolysis, at 220 °C, of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by diethylene glycol (DEG) in high excess has been studied. An experimental device allowing good separation, at reaction temperature, of the solid and liquid phases was set up.The results suggest that PET is initially depolymerized in the slightly swollen solid phase, by glycolysis of the amorphous interlamellar chains. This mechanism continues until a solid phase of highly crystallized polyester is obtained.The internal tensions engendered by this chemical modification cause cracks, delamination and mechanical disintegration of the polymer. The transfer towards the liquid phase is then strongly accelerated and the solvolysis of the depolymerization products continues in the liquid phase, up to equilibrium.     

Diffusion of ethylene glycol accompanied by reactions in poly(ethylene terephthalate) melts

Diffusion coefficients of ethylene glycol (EG) have been measured in poly(ethylene terephthlate) (PET) melts by a quartz-spring sorption apparatus. A simple mathematical model was developed to investigate the sorption behavior accompanied by chemical reactions of EG and PET at high temperatures. Diffusion coefficients are deduced from experimental data for an asymptotically thin sample in order to minimize the effects of reactions. The diffusion coefficient of EG is strongly dependent on the vapor pressure of EG and temperature but not on the molecular weight of PET in this experimental range (degree of polymerization 80–120). The diffusion coefficient of EG in PET melt at 265°C is 2.58 × 10^?7 cm²/s at the limit of zero concentration of EG. The activation energy for diffusion is 38.4 kcal/gmol, and the heat of solution for sorption is ?44.9 kcal/gmol. The concentrations of the volatile materials resulting from reactions in PET-EG system were analyzed with gas chromatography. In addition, a fit of the current model to experimental data yields frequency factors for the polymerization reaction (k₁) and the acetaldehyde formation reaction (k₂) to be 5.84 × 10⁸ cm³/mol ? min and 3.90 × 10¹¹ min^?1, respectively.     

Investigation of Hydrolysis in Poly（ethylene terephthalate） by FTIR-ATR

The hydrothermal aging of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) was investigated at 70 95 °C. A new method to investigate the hydrolysis degree of PET by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) was proposed. The spectra during the hydrothermal aging were measured using attenuated total reflection accessory(ATR). Peak resolving of carbonyl regions was performed, and the ratio of two groups of bands representing carboxylic acids and esters respectively were calculated to show the hydrolysis degree of ester groups in PET. The acid/ester ratio shows exactly the same trend as the average chain scission number per unit mass at various temperatures and thus can be used as a parameter to characterize the hydrolysis and random chain scission of PET. This method related to the hydrolysis mechanism directly, is simple, fast and convenient compared to the traditional methods such as viscometry, end-group titration and size exclusion chromatography(SEC). It may also be useful in hydrolysis characterization of other polyesters.     

Molten bisphenol-A polycarbonate-poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends. I. Identification of the reactions

This paper is devoted to the study of the reactions taking place in molten bisphenol-A polycarbonate-poly(ethylene terephthalate) mixtures. The analysis of the reaction products by infrared, proton and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and by thermogravimetric analysis shows that the main reaction is an exchange reaction identical to that occurring in bisphenol-A polycarbonate-poly(butylene terephthalate) mixtures. However, some other reactions consecutive to this exchange reaction also take place, probably resulting from the instability of the ethylene carbonates produced by transesterification.     

Electrospun fibers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) blended with poly(lactic acid)

Fibrous blends of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) were fabricated by electrospinning (ES) from a common solvent, at concentrations of PET/PLA = 100/0, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70, and 0/100. Oriented fiber mats were studied either as-spun, or after a cold-crystallization treatment. Scanning electron microscopy of as-spun amorphous fibers showed that addition of PLA into the ES solution prevents occurrence of beads. In some compositions, two glass transitions were observed by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry indicating that the two components in the ES fibers were phase separated. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to study thermal degradation at high temperatures. PLA degrades at a temperature about 100 °C lower than that of PET, and holding or cycling the blends to high temperature can result in the degradation of PLA. Degree of crystallinity was determined using DSC for as-spun and cold-crystallized ES blend fibers. The degree of crystallinity of each blend component is reduced by the presence of the other blend component, and the overall crystallinity of the blend fibers is less than that of the homopolymer fibers. Wide-angle X-ray scattering results show that oriented crystals were formed in the blended electrospun fibers collected on a rotating collector. The cold-crystallization process leads to both PET and PLA crystallizations. Oriented crystallites form even when the fiber is crystallized with its ends free to shrink.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the formation of poly[(1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxanyl)ethylene] and poly(methyldecylsiloxane) by hydrosilylation

The kinetics of the formation of poly(carbosiloxane), as well as of alkyl-substituted poly(siloxane), by Karstedt's catalyst catalyzed hydrosilylation were investigated. Linear poly(carbosiloxane), poly[(1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxanyl)ethylene], (PTMDSE), was obtained by hydrosilylation of 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane (DVTMDS) and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (TMDS), while alkyl-substituted poly(siloxane), poly(methyldecylsiloxane), (PMDS), was synthesized by hydrosilylation of poly(methylhydrosiloxane) (PMHS) and 1-decene. To investigate the kinetics of PTMDSE formation, two series of experiments were performed at reaction temperatures ranging from 25 to 56 °C and with catalyst concentrations ranging from 7.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 3.1 × 10⁻⁵ mol Pt/mol CHCH₂. A series of experiments was performed at reaction temperatures ranging from 28 to 48 °C, with catalyst concentrations of 7.0 ×10⁻⁶ mol of Pt per mol of CHCH₂, when kinetics of PMDS formation was investigated. All reactions were carried out in bulk, with equimolar amounts of the reacting Si H and CHCH₂ groups. The course of the reactions was monitored by following the disappearance of the Si H bands using quantitative infrared spectroscopy. The results obtained showed typical first order kinetics for the PTMDSE formation, consistent with the proposed reaction mechanism. In the case of PMDS an induction period occurred at lower reaction temperatures, but disappeared at 44 °C and the rate of Si H conversion also started to follow the first-order kinetics. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2246–2258, 2007     

Surface studies of acid treated poly (ethylene terephthalate) filaments

Surface features of the sulphuric acid treated and untreated PET filaments, drawn at different draw ratios, have been studied through XPS(ESCA) and SEM. It is shown that the top surface of the polyethylene terephthalate fibres degrades, but the increase in draw ratio decreases the degradation.     

Swelling-assisted modification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by methacrylic acid

When a poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, film is heated in an aqueous solution of methacrylic acid in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as an initiator, it is found that the weight of the film is increased. The amount of methacrylic acid that may be added onto the film is dependent upon the concentration of the monomer, the initiator, and the temperature at which the reaction occurs. Pretreatment of the film with 1,1,2,2,tetrachloroethane causes swelling and the amount of add-on is increased as the swelling level increases. Methacrylic-acid-modified PET films hydrolyze at room temperature in aqueous sodium hydroxide; the rate of hydrolysis is dependent upon the amount of add-on and the concentration of the base. This procedure leads to a chemically induced blend of polymethacrylic acid and poly(ethylene terephthalate), and grafting of the monomer onto the polymer film does not occur. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Crystallization in oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers. I. Fundamental aspects

The nature of crystallization- and mobility-induced changes during annealing of melt-spun poly(ethylene terephthalate) precursor fibers of a range of orientations has been examined. The kinetics of crystallization and the accompanying orientational changes have been studied under conditions of constant, low tensile stress, with the accompanying dimensional changes and under a constraint against shrinkage in length, with the stress developed being monitored. The effects of precursor orientation and externally imposed constraints on the course of the fundamental crystallization and orientational relaxation processes are revealed. Oriented crystallization has been shown to have a significant effect on the stress developed and on the dimensions of oriented precursor fibers, with a strong tendency to spontaneously extend as a consequence of the reorientation of crystallizing segments predominantly along the preferred fiber direction. The sequence in which crystallization and major orientational relaxation, if any, occur is found to have a profound effect on the structure and thus the deformability of oriented fibers after annealing above the glass transition temperature.     

NMR study of ester-interchange reactions during melt mixing of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(butylene terephthalate) blends

The occurrence of ester-interchange reactions during PET/PBT blend processing has been confirmed by ¹³C-NMR measurements. The limitations of the method for precise quantification of the extent of reaction between high molecular weight polyester blends have also been pointed out. Titanium alkoxide has been confirmed as an efficient catalyst, and, within experimental precision, the stabilizing effect of triphenyl phosphite addition has been demonstrated. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Phase separation in semicrystalline blends of poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(ethylene terephthalate). I. Preparation of poly(phenylene sulfide)-graft-poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers by ester interchange and characterization utilizing the model compound 2,4-bis(phenylthio benzoic acid)

Blends of carboxyl functionalized poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were shown to undergo an ester interchange reaction during melt blending. Pendent carboxyl functionality randomly incorporated along the PPS chain reacts with the ester moiety of PET to form a graft copolymer. A model compound, 2,4-bis(phenylthio benzoic acid), has been synthesized to assist in defining the level of carboxyl functionality on the PPS chain. Evidence of the grafting reaction has been gathered from infrared spectroscopy, solubility measurements, and electron microscopy. When added to blends of PPS and PET homopolymers, the graft copolymer significantly reduces the average domain size of the dispersed phase across the entire composition range. This study describes the role that graft copolymers formed by ester interchange reactions can play in compatibilizing this immiscible blend system, with particular focus on the conditions leading to increased grafting efficiency. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3473–3485, 1999     

Segmented block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)

A new series of segmented copolymers were synthesized from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) oligomers and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by a two‐step solution polymerization reaction. PET oligomers were obtained by glycolysis depolymerization. Structural features were defined by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The copolymer composition was calculated via ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The content of soft PEG segments was higher than that of hard PET segments. A single glass‐transition temperature was detected for all the synthesized segmented copolymers. This observation was found to be independent of the initial PET‐to‐PEG molar ratio. The molar masses of the copolymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4448–4457, 2004     

Investigation of transient species in pulse-irradiated poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

A pulse radiolysis study of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, film has been carried out with the main aims of investigating charge trapping. In PET, pulse radiolysis gives electron-positive hole pairs. Both charges can be stabilized by the reaction with polymeric matrix. In the first step, the PET radical anions and cations are formed (transient absorption maxima at ∼ 370 and 530 nm). During the second step, the electron is transferred from a PET radical anion to an ester group, followed by formation of an ester radical anion (transient absorption maximum at 430 nm). The recombination of these ionic species leads to an excited state formation observed during and after the 1-μs pulse. Spectral distribution of luminescence observed for pulse-irradiated PET (emission bands at ∼ 340, ∼ 370, and 400–410 nm) was similar to the one obtained for photoexcited PET. The detailed mechanism of ionic reactions in PET is proposed and discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2853–2862, 1999     

Kinetic studies on the formation of cyclic oligomers in poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The mechanism of cyclic oligomer formation has been kinetically studied by determining the rate of the formation of cyclic oligomers during melt of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) at several levels of average molecular weight, which were obtained by fractionation and did not initially contain oligomers. The experimental rate equation of cyclic oligomer formation was introduced and then compared with the rate equation derived theoretically. The close agreement between the two equations suggested that the cyclic oligomer formation takes place according to cyclodepolymerization by the action of hydroxyl end groups in PET. The relation is represented as [C] = m·[OH]₀·t^1–n, where [C] is the concentration of cyclic oligomers, [OH]₀ is the initial concentration of hydroxyl end groups, m and n are constants, and t is melting time. A method has also been developed for separating cyclic oligomers from PET using dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent.     

Fiber spinning from the nematic melt. I. Copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and p-oxybenzoate

The Tennessee Eastman copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with 60 mol % p-oxybenzoate units was spun with various capillaries using a constant shear rate at the wall. Variables examined were the length-to-diameter ratio L/D of the capillary, the spin draw ratio V_f/V₀, and the spinning temperature. Fibers spun at 260°C showed improved homogeneity of orientation through the cross section, better crystallite orientation, and higher initial moduli as L/D was increased. The spin draw ratio required to optimize these fiber properties decreases as L/D is increased. For example, when L/D = 49.44, the initial modulus has nearly reached its plateau value at a spin draw ratio of 10. However, in contrast to the results of Sugiyama, Lewis, White, and Fellers, we find that some spin draw is always required to optimize fiber properties. Fibers spun with a spin draw ratio of approximately unity showed very poor crystallite orientation and initial moduli. It is suggested that loss of orientation under these conditions may be due to the different velocity profiles in the spinneret and in the solidifed fiber. Fibers were also spun at five temperatures using a capillary having L/D = 49.44. Shear in the capillary is more effective in introducing orientation when the spinning temperature is 260°C or above. At spinning temperatures of 240 and 250°C, the initial modulus increases more slowly with spin draw ratio, and appears to have a lower plateau value. Acierno, La Mantia, Polizzotti, Ciferri, and Valenti spun the same polymer under conditions in which essentially all the orientation was introduced by spin draw. They used a very low extrusion velocity at the spinneret, a small L/D, and spin draw ratios up to 3000. They reported that the initial modulus increased with decreasing spinning temperature, in contrast to our results. Thus the optimum spinning conditions may depend upon whether most of the orientation is introduced by shear in the capillary, or by a high spin draw ratio.