SPE Thermoforming Quarterly®
Fourth Quarter 2024
New Eco-Friendly Chain Extenders for rPET
Post-consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate) (r-PET) bales are often comprised of PET bottles (PET-B) and PET thermoforms (PET-T). Due to their differing melt viscosities, PET-B and PET-T are often processed separately. In addition, recycled PET-B, PET-T, and their blends have inferior melt-flow and mechanical properties compared to their virgin counterparts. This issue is commonly addressed by using chain extenders (CEs) or by adding virgin material. However, glycidol-derived CEs that are used to improve recycled PET blends may have health concerns…
Read moreFourth Quarter 2024
New Heat-Resistant APET for High-Temp Microwavable Trays, Airline Food, and Hot-Fill Applications
Thermapet Technologies is a Singapore-based startup with patented technology to produce fully circular APET based trays and cups. “TPET” is produced from virgin or recycled PET without the use of nucleating agents or additives. TPET offers high temperature resistance tested up to 220°C, allowing it to be used for microwaved or oven solutions, closing the gap between PET-based products and polyolefin-based alternatives…
Read more