Lisa Anderson

UX/UI Designer at - Adobe

Polyethylene terephthalates, commonly abbreviated as PET, PETE, or simply PETP, is an extremely common thermoplastic polymeric resin of the PET family and has been used for clothes, cushions, and other consumer goods for decades. The popularity of PET has risen gradually throughout the last decade, especially following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on the use of some dyes and fillers in food and cosmetic products. As a result, PET clothing and PET cosmetic products are much more widely available in stores. PET is also an inexpensive alternative to polyester and cotton fabrics. Clothing made from PET is particularly lightweight and comfortable, contributing to its increasing appeal.

PET is produced by treating: a combination of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid with a catalyst at high temperature and pressure. After the catalyst is allowed to react with the PET, the resulting polymer is highly effective and extremely elastic, which allows it to be used in compression socks, sweaters, clothing, etc. PET is versatile because it contains no hydrogen atoms, making it incapable of inducing combustion, as are some other polymers.

PET is also considered to be completely safe, although there have been reports of health problems from direct exposure to ethylene glycol, which is included in many PET bottles and containers.

• PET bottles and containers are generally wider than other polyethylene terephthates because of its superior thermal conductivity.
• PET is also resistant to ultraviolet light and chemicals like chlorine, so it can be used for color printing in food and cosmetic applications.
• PET containers are strong enough to stand up to pressures as high as 26 bars, though PET containers do not necessarily perform better under high pressure and temperatures than other polyethylene terephthates.
• PET is recyclable, making it a popular choice in packaging applications. It is cheaper than other packaging materials, including glass and metal, making it a cost-effective option for companies looking for cost-effective packaging solutions.
• One concern with PET packaging is that it may contain small amounts of mercury, a substance known to be carcinogenic.

Another major benefit of PET: comes from its resistance to attack by micro-organisms, such as bacteria, yeast and mould. Many types of PET are resistant to chemical attacks from within the cell, while others are resistant to attack by enzymes. There are also some PET liquids-a common ingredient in certain pesticides that are resistant to attack by bacteria and viruses. This means that PET bottles and other packaging made from this material are particularly useful for pest control, as they cannot easily become contaminated by the thousands of pathogens that can contaminate glass or other PET bottles.

The potential applications of PET are virtually endless: From pharmaceuticals to food packaging, PET is becoming an integral part of many manufacturing processes. A major advantage of PET over glass or stainless steel is that PET is more transparent. Because it is opaque, it is more difficult for contaminants to sneak through the gaps between the layers of plastic. Injection molding and extruded polystyrene are two different methods used to create identical products using PET; injection molding involves feeding mold cavities full of molten plastic pellets until it melts, while extruded polystyrene involves shooting a continuous stream of melted plastic into a mold until it reaches a point where it hardens into a solid, enclosed bubble.

PET is thermally stable: meaning that it doesn’t change temperature at all when exposed to light. This feature makes it ideal for use in a wide variety of applications, but it is also what makes it especially resistant to corrosion. Thermoplastic resins do not change temperature at all when exposed to the air, so they don’t corrode even when melted in an oven. PET resin is so durable that after exposure to high temperatures PET resins don’t change color.

Because of its high strength and resistance to attack by microorganisms, PET makes up an increasingly important part of the plastics industry.