Abstract
Sixty (60) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets containing 0—100% recycled-PET (RPET) bottle flake were produced using industrial extruders. The PET/RPET sheets were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, ultraviolet— visible spectroscopy, mechanical testing, and inductively coupled plasma—atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP—AES). The absorbance at 350 nm, %crystallinity, crystallization temperature, and crystallization peak offset were found to be both unaffected by a silicone mold release coating and reasonably valid indicators of %RPET. Mechanical testing determined that incorporating recycled content into virgin resin will significantly alter the composite mechanical properties; analysis indicated that there was approximately a 2-, 3-, and 30-MPa increase in stress at the proportional limit, stress at yield, and Young’s modulus, respectively, in the machine direction at 40% RPET concentration when compared to virgin resin. The ICP—AES determined that PET/RPET sheets can be safely used for food packaging as according to California Health and Safety Code.
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