Unsaturated polyester resins based on pet waste products from glycolysis by ethylene, propylene, and diethylene glycols and their mixtures

Abstract EN

-Recycling of polyethylenet erephthalate (PET) soft drink bottles was accomplished by depolymerization through glycolysis with ethylene and propylene glycol mixtures with diethylene glycol.

The glycolyzed products were reacted with maleic anhydride and mixed with styrene or tri(ethylene glycol)dimethacrylate (TGM) monomers to get unsaturated polyesters (UPR), suitable for producing varnishes and paints.

The curing behavior of UPR resins in the presence of di fferent initiators was studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Influence of curing conditions on the crosslinking degree and residual enthalpy (ΔHresid) of UPR was analyzed.

The processing characteristics, such as viscosity, exotherm temperatures of curing, compatibility of UPR resins with monomers were investigated, with respect to the type and amount of reactive monomers and initiators.

The main properties (hardness, impact resistance, el asticity) of varnish and paint coatings obtained on the basis of UPR were determined.