Polyethylene terephthalate rigid packaging

Rigid packages, such as bottles, boxes, trays, cups, vials, and various closures, are made from materials of sufficient strength and rigidity. Widely used polymers are high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, poly(vinyl chloride), acrylic copolymers, polycarbonate, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Biodegradable PET is preferred due to environment concerns but it is expensive. The closure (or cap) of the container is typically made of polypropylene or... 

The most widely used plastics in flexible packaging are low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is widely used for rigid containers also, fulfiUing almost 50 percent of the total demand. However, the fastest-growing resin for rigid containers continues to be polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and its copolymers. Other resins, such as ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), vinyfidene chloride (VDC) copolymers, and nylons, have specialized appfications as high barrier materials. 

Most polymers used today are thermoplastics. Poiypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS) often find application as low-end consumer items, packaging or others. Technical parts are produced mostly from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene-copolymer (ABS), polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyether sulfone (PES), polycarbonate (PC), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), or polyimide (PI). Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a material often used in building construction, especially for roofing membranes, window frames, and pipes, and its properties (rigid or flexible) are generally modified by additives. 

Liquor packaging presents an additional problem in that containers for distilled spirits must be approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF, under the Treasury Department), as well as being provided for in 21CFR. BATF for a long time did not condone the use of rigid polyvinyl chloride bottles for such, because of the vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) situation of over a decade ago. However, polyethylene terephthalate liquor bottles now abound. 

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