Impact response of waste poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) composite plate

Abstract

Poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) is considered one of the most important engineering polymers for the last two decades due to its rapid growth of usage, aesthetic appearance, good light transmittance, and smooth surface. It is highly preferable for the food and soft drink bottle packaging industry because of its low gas permeability and recycling potential. For this reason, vast amount of PET’s is used daily and mandates an effective recycling process. The recycling of PET can be performed using two different methods, which are chemical and mechanical methods. In this study, chemical recycling method was chosen as a recycling method. Waste PET bottle evaluated as a binder for composite materials. Obtained glycolized products and binder are characterized by OH number (hydroxyl), acid number and FTIR. Then E-glass/recycle resin composite plates were manufactured via Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM). Drop weigh tests were applied to measure the general mechanical and damage behavior of these composites. © The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. 2017.