Process for formation of additive-containing polyester

A method for forming additive-containing reclaimed polyester in a continuous process, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

• (a) providing a feed of recycled polyester upstream of a de-polymerization reaction vessel and/or a polymerization reaction vessel, wherein the feed of recycled polyester includes polyester particles, off spec polyester flake, off spec polyester resin, or other form of polyester particles, flakes, or resin;
• (b) providing a PET depolymerizer upstream of the de-polymerization reaction vessel and/or the polymerization reaction vessel, wherein the PET depolymerizer is one or more selected from the group consisting of water, acidic water, alkaline water, methanol, aqueous methanol, ethylene glycol, and aqueous ethylene glycol;
• and allowing the PET depolymerizer to intermingle with the feed of recycled polyester, thereby depolymerizing the recycled polyester feed via glycolysis, methanolysis, or hydrolysis to obtain depolymerized polyester monomers;
• (c) providing a feed of polyester precursors upstream of the polymerization reaction vessel such that the feed of polyester precursors intermingles with the depolymerized polyester monomers;
• and removing the PET depolymerizer from the polymerization reaction vessel subsequent to depolymerization of the recycled polyester and prior to polymerization in the continuous process;
• (d) polymerizing the depolymerized polyester monomers and the polyester precursors to form reclaimed polyester;
• and
• (e) continuously and directly transferring the reclaimed polyester to a mixing device wherein at least one additive is added to the reclaimed polyester to form additive-containing reclaimed polyester;
• and
• wherein the recycled polyester feed is depolymerized in the de-polymerization reaction vessel, and the recycled polyester feed is depolymerized from the polymerization reaction vessel;
• wherein the reclaimed polyester prior to step (e) is characterized as virgin polyester or is indistinguishable from virgin polyester.