Synthesis of polyester polyol from polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

The PET (poliethylene terephthalate), is the most used packing material in both our country and world. While 1997, only 17.000 tons of PET consumed, 2007 consumption is being estimated as 250.000 tons. The PET waste is destroyed by recycling as fiber, nonfood and food-contact packing bottle, stripe, sheet and engineering resin and other chemical recycling method. In this study, PET waste is being attempted to convert into a liquid oligo-terephthalate poliol that can be used in the synthesis of polyurethane material by using monomeric diols like diethylene glycol (DEG), triethylene glycol (TEG), dipropylene glycol (DPG), 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol and diacids like phthalic anhydride (PA), adipic acids (AA). The experiments that were carried out showed that PET can be converted into a liquid oligo-polyester polyol in ambient temperature.Key Words: PET, Used packing material, Polyester polyol, Recycling