Preparation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) in the presence of a telechelic perfluoropolyether

Polyethylene terephthalate (PETP) has been prepared from dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol in the presence of various amounts of a telechelic fluorinated macromer with methyl ester end-groups using Ti(OBu)₄ as the catalyst. The final products are heterophasic with a perfluoropolyether phase embedded in a PETP matrix. The effects of the fluorinated polymer on the reaction rates in the first and second stages of the reaction and on some properties (T_g, T_m, and contact angle) are discussed.