: Abstract

Mechanical recycling of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles provides a sustainable, green, environmental friendly and cost-effective solution.

In the present study, influence of blending recycled PET flakes with virgin PET on melt flow rate, boiling water shrinkage, tensile properties, melting behavior, crystalline behavior, molecular confirmation and yellowing effect is reported. The virgin-PET/recycled-PET blended yarn samples are produced by introducing R-PET in the proportions of 0%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100%. The blend homogenization, melt spinning and drawing is carried out sequentially to produce monofilament yarn samples.

The virgin PET sample has highest intrinsic viscosity, boiling water shrinkage stability, molecular weight, and crystallinity. The blended yarn samples with R-PET content of 50-80% have performed marginally similar in terms of tensile stress and strain. The loss of tensile stress and strain is significant when R-PET content in blend is above 80%. IR spectra confirmed presence of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups with – OH links which induces thermo-mechanical degradation of R-PET.

The whiteness, brightness and reflectance values decreases in contrast to yellowing index which increases on introducing R-PET content in blend.

This study recommends blend produced from mechanical recycling process should restrict the recycled PET content to 70-80%, in order to accomplish minimum desired yarn properties for average strength applications with cost-reduction, minimising environmental impact and raw material conservation.

: More In

Influence of blending proportion on properties of melt spun monofilaments produced from virgin PET and recycled PET blend