EBM ePET container drop-impact enhancement

A method for improving the impact resistance of an extrusion blow molded bottle, the method comprising:

• extrusion blow molding an ultra-high IV polyethylene terephthalate resin having an IV of at least 0.9 dL/g, to obtain a extrusion blow molded bottle comprising
• an outlet at a first end,
• a base portion at a second end, wherein the base portion includes a base insert at least partially recessed into the extrusion blow molded bottle, wherein the base insert is embossed with a plurality of characters and symbols,
• a body portion located between the outlet and the base having a lower panel, a mid panel and an upper panel,
• a shoulder portion connecting the upper panel to the outlet at the first end, and
• a chime connecting the lower panel of the body portion and the base portion,
• wherein the extrusion blow molding is carried out in a mold with a texturized base surface and a texturized chime surface such that a base surface of the base portion of the extrusion blow molded article and a chime surface of the chime portion of the of the extrusion blow molded bottle are textured, and wherein the body portion and the shoulder portion of the mold are polished;
• wherein the lower panel, the mid panel, the upper panel and the shoulder portion of the extrusion blow molded bottle are clear, and the base portion and the chime portion of the extrusion blow molded bottle are textured;
• and
• wherein the texturized base surface and the texturized chime surface of the mold are formed by sand blasting the mold with angular grains having a grit size in the range from 16 to 220.