Polyethylene terephthalate compositions and methods
AssigneeStokedPlastics Inc.
InventorsJames Merrill, Drew Sfirri, Tymur Sabirov, Asheesh Lanba
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Abstract
The disclosed technology relates to plastics recycling, and more specifically, to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blend compositions and methods for increasing the recyclability of post-consumer plastics waste in injection molded hard goods. In some embodiments, the PET blend composition including virgin polyethylene terephthalate (vPET), recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), and a polyester-based chain extender. In some embodiments, the composition is a PET blend composition including approximately 25-50% by weight of rPET, approximately 47-75% by weight of vPET, and approximately 0-3% by weight of the polyester-based chain extender.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a PET blend composition, comprising:
- drying virgin PET (vPET), recycled PET (rPET) and a chain extender into pellets;
- grinding the rPET and the chain extender pellets together into a mixture;
- feeding the rPET and the chain extender pellets mixture into an extruder;
- grinding the rPET and the chain extender pellets mixture;
- melting and agitating the rPET and chain extender pellets mixture together into a first extruded material;
- grinding the first extruded material and vPET pellets together into a mixture;
- feeding the first extruded material and vPET pellets mixture into an extruder;
- grinding the first extruded material and vPET pellets mixture through a heated mixing chamber into a second extruded material;
- and
- melting the second extruded material.
A method of injection molding, comprising:
- providing a PET blend composition;
- injecting the PET blend composition into molds;
- forming preform shapes with the PET blend composition;
- annealing the preform shapes at a predetermined temperature;
- forming final shapes that reach the predetermined temperature;
- and
- cooling the final shapes to room temperature.
A PET blend composition comprising:
- virgin PET (vPET);
- and
- recycled PET (rPET).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.