Other PET Copolymers

It was previously mentioned was that a large number of minor copolymers of PET have been developed over the past 50 years, with the intent of modifying textile fiber properties and processability [2, 3], Of broader interest is that some of these textile modifications, such as PET copolymers with metal salts of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid (SIPA), have their own rich chemistries when the extent of polymer modification is increased beyond textile levels. An example of such a modification is that changing the counterions associated with SIPA can significantly effect the kinetics of polyester transesterification reactions (the 

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Other polymers for which DSC-based studies of crystallinity have been reported include PET [1, 3], ethylene-propylene copolymers [4], PE gels [5], polyazomettine esters [6], polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) microfibrils [7], polylactides [8], polycyclohexadiene [9], PET-polycarbonate (PC) copolymer [10], PE-like polyesters [11], cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate-PET copolymers [12], poly(trimethylene) 2,6-naphthalate [13], and isotactic polypropylene (iPP) [14]. 

Tlie liquid-crystalline hydroxy benzoic acid/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (HBA/PET) copolymer master rheogram given in Fig. 4.37, however, is not amenable to a curve fit by any of the models discussed above. The reason is because the shape of the unified curve for this liquid-crystalline copolymer is radically different from those obtained for other thermoplastics. There are two shear-thinning regions separated by a short plateau as can be seen in Fig. 4.37. A new equation of the following form is thus suggested [12] ... 

Other Polymers. Besides polycarbonates, poly(methyl methacrylate)s, cycfic polyolefins, and uv-curable cross-linked polymers, a host of other polymers have been examined for their suitabiUty as substrate materials for optical data storage, preferably compact disks, in the last years. These polymers have not gained commercial importance polystyrene (PS), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), cellulose acetobutyrate (CAB), bis(diallylpolycarbonate) (BDPC), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), styrene—acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC), and for substrates with high resistance to heat softening, polysulfones (PSU) and polyimides (PI). 

Noncrystalline aromatic polycarbonates (qv) and polyesters (polyarylates) and alloys of polycarbonate with other thermoplastics are considered elsewhere, as are aHphatic polyesters derived from natural or biological sources such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(glycoHde), or poly(lactide) these, too, are separately covered (see Polymers, environmentally degradable Sutures). Thermoplastic elastomers derived from poly(ester—ether) block copolymers such as PBT/PTMEG-T [82662-36-0] and known by commercial names such as Hytrel and Riteflex are included here in the section on poly(butylene terephthalate). Specific polymers are dealt with largely in order of volume, which puts PET first by virtue of its enormous market volume in bottie resin. 

This class of polyesters consists of four major commercial polymers and their copolymers, namely PET, PTT, PBT, and PEN (see Table 2.1). They compete for engineering thermoplastics, films, and fibers markets with other semicrystalline polymers, such as aliphatic polyamides, and for some other applications with amorphous engineering plastics such as polycarbonate. The syntheses of PET and PBT, detailed in numerous reviews and books,2-5 are described in Sections 23.2.2 and 2.3.2.1. 

PAs have also been copolymerized with other polymer systems and, in particular", with polyesters and poly ethers. In the copoly esteramides the crystallinity is decreased by copolymerization, as the crystalline structure of the amide unit is very different from the ester unit. However, alternating polyesteramides behave as homopolymers with a glass ttansition temperature and a melting temperature intermediate to the polyester and the PA polymer (Figs. 3.10 and 3.11).23,24 Polyesters, such as PBT and PET, modified with a small amount of diamide are also copolymers that have a high order.24,73... 

Other US companies chose to await expiration of the Whinfield and Dickson patent before entering the market. One of the earliest to become involved was Celanese Corporation, whose joint venture with ICI, named Fiber Industries Inc. (FII Fortrel), began construction of its first PET plant in 1959. Beaunit (Vycron) was also an early entrant, initially with a copolymer fibre that was arguably not covered by the basic patent, using polymer from Goodyear. 

In theory, almost any comonomer diacid or dialcohol could lead to amorphous copolymers of PET. For example, incorporation of 20-80% of 2,6-naphthalate, or greater than 30% of isophthalate, will generate amorphous materials [9], Amorphous copolymers of PET, produced by the wholesale substitution of other monomers into the polymeric backbone, rarely possess desirable thermomechanical properties, unlike the Eastman PETG compositions. 

Smith et al. [64] prepared a series of PET/PTT copolyesters, and found that addition of the other component suppressed the melting point of the respective homopolymer. Between 37 and 60 % PTT content, the copolymers became amorphous and did not show any melting endotherms in the differential thermal analyzer scans. A similar behavior was observed by Balakrishnan and coworkers [102] in PET/PTT copolyesters prepared by the transesterification of PET with PDO, and by the copolymerization of EG and PDO with DMT [103, 104], The non-crystallizing behavior of copolymers with intermediate contents of the respective component is similar to that of a eutectic mixture, indicating formation of random copolyesters. The 7 g and solubility temperature of the copolyesters were, however, continuous and went through minima with increasing PTT content [64],... 

The thermal stability and lightfastness of polyesters is particularly necessary for technical and high-performance applications. The modification of the polymer causes disorder and affects the stability as well as some other properties. PET modified by DEG suffers particularly from photo-oxidative reactions due to the presence of the sensitive ether bonds. These copolymers need special stabilization depending on the kind and degree of modification. The UV stability can also be influenced by the technology of the process, whereby slight improvements of DMT-based polymer are observed [29],... 

It has been found by Baird and others [74-77] that the presence of LCP may accelerate and presumably direct the crystallization of conventional polymers (PET, etc.). Porter [76] has shown that, by blending biphasic polymers such as the PET-poly HBA copolymers, miscibility may be achieved between the conventional phase of the biphasic polymer with another conventional polymer that component is miscible with, i.e., X7-G/PBT. The latter phenomena may offer direction in the search for useful compatibilizing agents for LCP/conven-tional polymer systems. 

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