PET (Polythylene terephalate)

INTRODUCTION

PET is the latest addition to the family of the thermoplastics which has revolutionized the
packaging on the international scene. PET has been internationally approved and complies with
the Food and Drug Administration (FAD) Regulation in USA, UK Japan, Canada, France,
Germany and other inert to most reagents.

Indian Standard Institution (Bureau of Indian Standards) wide IS:10171, has included PET has
safe material for contact of food. PET bottles have been tested at CFTRI Mysore and found
suitable for packaging all food stuffs.

Because of its high gas barrier properties, sparkling clarity and unbreakability. PET bottles find
tremendous use in packaging larger unit volume carbonated drinks.

It is the only commercial polymer available today other than Acrynonitrile which can retain carbon
dioxide gas to international brand beverage specification.

However of late PET is being increasingly used in bottles / jar packaging resin, application
replacing conventional packaging materials like glass, PVC, wood, metal paper and competing
with plastics due to their exceptional technical properties and low cost.

The application of process to PET produces bottles, jars and containers which perform
remarkably and uniquely, giving clarity excellent properties of carbonation retention, ingress of
oxygen and virtually unbreakable, light to handle and easy to transport, and above all, kind to the
environment and recyclable.

This combination of properties has opened up new and important markets. PET has become the
favoured material in a number of applications, notably for carbonated and no-carbonated soft
drinks, mineral water packaging, vegetable oils, edible oils.

But, new generation of applications is covering more extensive range, detergents, cleaning
products, wine and other alcoholic drinks, fruit juices, certain conserver, sauces, ketchup and
mustered cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, other food products, chemical products etc.
These newer packaging applications have already achieved acceptance and will play a growing
role in future PET bottle growth.

SALIENT FEATURES OF STRETCH PET BOTTLES

 Hygiene
PET meets the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene. PET fully complies with all
current legislation on health and hygiene and therefore has the necessary approvals for
world wide distribution. Other plastics cannot effectively contain 5 atmospheres of CO2 of
carbonated drinks. Approval tend to the very limited. PET has the approval of the FDA
(USA) and BGA (West Germany) and specific food regulations approval in most
countries.

 Taste
PET has no effect on content even if it contains the most sensitive drink. Other plastics
can give off-tastes. It is 100% odorless.

 Clarity
Bottles made from PET are crystal clear. They have sparkle. They look fresh. You can
pick out the PET bottles because it has sheen and polished look all of its own.
 The surface readily accept direct printing and labeling and there is a freedom of design.

 High Volume / Weight ratio

A stretch blow moulding bottle in PET provides the capacity to hold 50% more product in
the same volume of shelf space. PET means that you can have big bottles without
increasing the weights out of proportion to the contents.
WEIGHT/VOLUME RATIOS FOR VARIOUS PACKAGING MATERIALS
WEIGHT OF BOTTLES IN GRAMS__VOLUME_HDPE_PVC_GLASS_TIN_PET__250
ml_30_15_100_50_17__500 ml_50_25_150_75_23__750 ml_80_32_250_90_23__1
LITRE_90_40_350_100_28__2 LITRE_120_65_500_150_48__

 Safety
Nothing is more potentially dangerous than very large carbonated drink bottle in the
working material. PET has been developed with shop and household safety in mind. The
bottle can with stand a drop test from 2.0 mtrs. Without shattering and changing shape
under pressure and can withstand high static load. There is a dramatic reduction in the
breakage on the filling line and minimum risk of mess through accident in the store. PET
does not break, it bounces, children can handle safely. Should it be thrown on a fire the
fumes are not toxic & there is no corrosion or rust like metal.

 Resonance
PET is quite efficient material no resonance, no noise, no clattering along the bottling line.
The introduction of PET into bottling can mean reduction in noise levels as much as 60%

 Transport
When you are working with bottles manufactured from pet your transport will be carrying
much in the same load space and the total payload could still be less. That’s because
PET is considerably lighter than a glass bottles and of more compact design.

It also requires less outer package. Experience shows that load efficiency can increased
by between to 60% and 80%. Economy in transport cost about 25%.

COMPARISON OF PET WITH HDPE AND PVC

PROPERTY_HDPE_PVC_PET__Clarity_ L_M_H__Gloss /
Transparency_L_H_H__Strength_M_H_H__Moisture Barrier_H_L_H__Oxygen
Barrier_L_L_H__Carbon Dioxide Barrier_L_L_H__Impact resistance_H_L_H__Sunlight
Barrier_L_L_H__
L = Low, M = Medium , H = High

APPLICATIONS AND MARKET

Major application areas of PET are mentioned below :

1. Carbonated soft drinks

Bottling of carbonated soft drinks in PET is now well established on world wide basis. Extremely
light weight and transparent like glass, bottles and jars of PET have greatly accepted. Growth of
one liter PET is expected to continue as replacement for glass. In soft drink application two liter
bottles are popular in Europe. Smaller volume bottles. The gas lose is controlled by four factor
namely absorption, creep and continuous loss due to closure leakage and permitation through the
container walls.

2. Mineral water packaging

Bottled water is one of the most promising outlets for PET bottles at present. This growth has
come as a result of concern over the safety of the tap drinking water. Also the health conscious
segment of the population is showing preference for the bottled water. PET resin prices is not a
deterrent to market growth for PET because the current profitability in the bottle water business is
high enough to absorb increase in packaging costs.

3. Syrups and serbats

The recent trend in syrup bottling has been to substitute glass bottle with stretch blow molded
PET articles. Hot filling is possible with heat set PET bottles. Conventional pet is border line at 60-
65 ºC. It is possible, that a heat set PET will be acceptable at this temperature level.

4. Edible oil packaging

Edible oil form the second category of popular products packed in PET bottles. The advantages
of PET over PVC are the absence of “pin holding”, improved break strength, clarity, absence of
stress cracking top load performance, reduced cap leakage and also providing a superior
package for a difficult product. Oil pose no particular technical problems. It is very tolerant on
barrier to oxygen.

5. Beer and Cider

Beer market has sizable volume to stimulate, PET demand. But there are problems in developing
a successful package for this product. Oxygen barrier is critical in as much as oxygen has to be
kept out of the beer to ensure taste and flavour. PET itself will not provide the required oxygen
protection. This limitation has been overcome by introducing of PVDC coating technology.
Additionally, the majority of beer production is larger style which is pasteurized in the container or
bottle requiring a packaging material that will withstand pasteurization temperature 60-65 ºC.
Conventional PET is border line at this temperature. It is possible, however, that a heat set PET
will be acceptable at this temperature level.
Cider is popular drink in U.K., based on fermented apple juice, has been given a new lease of life
with the use of PET bottles. Cider packaging has shown the first sign of a bottle design specially
associated with the end products, a feature which will become more common in future.

6. Wine, Liquor and Spirit packaging

PET bottles with increased wall thickness is used for wine, liquor and spirit packaging. PET and
PVC are stiff competitors. Now manufacturer, distributor and user accept the strength, barrier,
shelf life, light weight and aesthetic advantages PET has to offer. PET has outstanding resistance
to a very wide range of solvents
including alcohol. The obvious first market was miniature for use on airlines. They are light in
weight to gather with safety and convenience of handling are a decided advantages. Over 50
brands of wine, liquor and spirit are now established in miniatures made from PET. The large size
are following with the same market pattern.

7. Agro - chemicals
The outstanding chemical resistance of PET has been put to good use within ICI group. ICI plant
protection division have designed a one liter bottles specially for packaging of agro-chemicals.
This container is rapidly replacing the previously used aluminium and polyethylene container.
Aluminium because it is more expensive and corrosion and solvent resistant and polyethylene
because PET has such better resistance to stress cracking.

8. Powdered and dry food

This category includes instant coffee, tea and spices etc. The barrier requirements are moisture
to prevent caking, oxygen to prevent flavor from deteriorating and aroma loss protection.
Deterioration due to light transmission can be overcome with addition of a colour concentrated to
the PET.

9. Food products
Other food products that present large PET potential are honey, pickles, relishes, sauces,
sweeteners, refrigerated juices, juice commercially packed in PET. Each increase in hot fill
market.

10. Other products

Other major of PET bottles / jars includes that in packaging of pharmaceutical products,
detergents powders, bulk chocolate/ candy packing , tennis ball container etc. PET containers
can also be used in packaging of paints, shampoos, cosmetics, toilet and hair care products.