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PET from Used Beverage Bottles: A Material for Preparation of Biologically Degradable Copolyesters

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Abstract

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) from used colorless beverage bottles was solvolyzed by ethane-1,2-diol. Hydroxyl end-groups present in the mixture of polyols formed were used to initiate the polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CLO) at 190 °C. Polycondensation (190 °C) of the reaction mixture containing an equilibrium amount of lactone corresponding to the reaction temperature yield an aliphatic–aromatic copolyester. A variety of copolyesters containing 20–60 mol. % CLO structural units was prepared. The microstructure of their macromolecules was analyzed using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Copolyesters were characterized by thermal analysis and tensile tests and their biodegradation potential was checked by the composting test.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Dr. H. Komber, IPF Dresden, Germany for his helpfulness with NMR spectra interpretation. This study was supported by Czech Science Foundation (grant no. 203/06/0528, 106/09/1378) and by the research program MSM 6046137302.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Polymers, Institute of Chemical Technology, Technická 3, 16628, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Jiří Vitásek & Irena Prokopová

  2. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic

    Václav Šašek

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  1. Jiří Vitásek
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  2. Václav Šašek
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  3. Irena Prokopová
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Correspondence to Irena Prokopová.

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Vitásek, J., Šašek, V. & Prokopová, I. PET from Used Beverage Bottles: A Material for Preparation of Biologically Degradable Copolyesters. J Polym Environ 20, 618–625 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-012-0423-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-012-0423-8

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