POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE HYDROLYSIS BY γ- RADIATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Polymer, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egypt.

2 Hot Laboratories Center, Atomic Energy Authority, P.No.13759, Egypt.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Flakes of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) alkaline hydrolyzed by sodium hydroxide were subjected to gamma rays. Some parameters were studied; irradiation doses (10 - 60 kGy), NaOH concentrations (1 - 4 M) and PET particle size (300 and 600 μm). The reaction time (60 – 540 min) required for sodium hydroxide/methanol hydrolysis of PET was optimized to investigate the products were obtained. Optimal dose able to converts PET into dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) was 20 kGy. DMT was analyzed qualitatively. The alkaline deploymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been evaluated by HPLC.

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