Effects of Bifunctional Chain Extender on the Crystallinity and Thermal Stability of PET

Abstract

Effects of bifunctional chain extender on the crystallinity and the thermal stability of PET were studied in this work. Results of Infrared substractive spectrum indicated that one oxazoline ring of 2,2’-bis(2-oxazoline) (BOZ) reacted with one carboxyl in PET to generate a blocked PET chain with an oxazoline ring, which then reacted with one carboxyl in second PET to form an extended chain. The intrinsic viscosity (IV) of extended PET would increase from 0.61 of initial PET to 0.80 when the addition of BOZ was 0.52 wt%. Furthermore, when BOZ was used with hydroxyl-addition-type chain extender 2,2’-(1,4-phenyl)bis(4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one) (BNZ) or chain end modifier phthalic anhydride (PA), IV of chain extended PET would be 0.83 and 0.97 respectively. DSC results showed that chain extending would result in a decrease in crystallinity of PET. Comparing with initial PET, the intrinsic viscosity loss of the chain extended products would be smaller after multi-melting processing.