UNSATURATED POLYESTER RESINS FROM GLYCOLYSED WASTE POLYETHYLENETEREPHTHALATE - SYNTHESIS AND COMPARISON OF PROPERTIES AND PERFORMANCE WITH VIRGIN RESIN

Recycling of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) bottles for soft drinks i s accomplished by depolymerization through glycolysis. Obtained interm ediates are reacted with mixtures of saturated and unsaturated acids t o obtain unsaturated polyesters (UP) suitable for use as a matrix for fibre-reinforced thermosetting composites. The influence of chemical s tructure of glycols on the chemo-rheological behaviour of resins, has been verified. By using di-ethylene glycol, the behaviour of the resul ting UP closely resembles that of UP obtained from virgin monomers. Mo reover, composite sheets containing UP developed in the present resear ch, show enhanced toughness if compared with the analogous composite m ade of virgin UP resin.