Polyethylene
terephthalate (PET)
Carothers and his team carried
out pioneering studies into the chemistry of
macromolecules within the laboratories of Du Pont,
USA from 1928. Julian Hill, a close colleague of
Carothers, produced thermoplastic polyesters from
which he could pull fibres from the molten
polymer, but the work was dropped in favour of
nylon.
Development took place in the Calico Printers
Association in the United Kingdom by Dickson and
Whinfield. In 1941 they patented poly(ethylene
terephthalate) from the reaction of polyethylene
glycol with terephthalic acid.
Patent rights were granted to ICI and also to
Du Pont in the mid and late 1940s. Terylene
fibres were introduced by ICI in 1947, and later
as film (Melinex). The film found use as a base
for magnetic recording tape as well as electrical
insulation and capacitor dielectric. Moulding
powder was not generally available until the 1960s.
A great boost to polyester high volume
application came in 1977 when oriented controlled
structure blow moulded bottles were introduced in
the USA.
Several other types of thermoplastic polyester,
based on different dibasic acids or glycol
combinations, have added to the qualities of
product performance and their ease of processing,
e.g. Poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene
naphthalate), copolymers and blends.
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