PET suits the job of keeping beverages shielded from bacteria inexpensively while keeping its glossy looks. Polyethylene Terephthalate is a lightweight plastic known for its excellent moisture barrier properties and resistance to alcohols, oils, and diluted acids. The common myth of leaving bottles in a hot car proves to be true, as PET contains the compound antimony trioxide, a carcinogen. Hotter temperatures stimulate the increase in the release of antimony trioxide to the contained liquid. This wrinkle free plastic is non-biodegradable, due to its inert nature.
PET is usually manufactured using Blow Molding, Injection Molding, 3D printing and extrusion. Blow Molding is by far a favorite among manufacturers. Blow Molding is a clean manufacturing technique where granular plastic pellets are melted to be captured by molds, followed by a blast of hot air which causes the plastic to take up the shape of the mold.
AKA “The beverage bottle plastic”
HISTORY
PET was patented in 1941 by John Rex Whinfield, James Tennant Dickson and their employer the Calico Printers’ Association of Manchester, England. E. I. DuPont de Nemours in Delaware, United States, first used the trademark Mylar in June 1951 and received registration of it in 1952. It is still the best-known name used for polyester film. The current owner of the trademark is DuPont Teijin Films.
SAFETY
Commentary published in Environmental Health Perspectives in April 2010 suggested that PET might yield endocrine disruptors under conditions of common use and recommended research on this topic. Proposed mechanisms include leaching of phthalates as well as leaching of antimony. An article published in Journal of Environmental Monitoring in April 2012 concludes that antimony concentration in deionized water stored in PET bottles stays within EU’s acceptable limit even if stored briefly at temperatures up to 60 °C (140 °F), while bottled contents (water or soft drinks) may occasionally exceed the EU limit after less than a year of storage at room temperature.
Credits: Polyethylene terephthalate – Wikipedia and Get to Know the 7 Types of Plastic- Plastics 101 | by The Physics Society | Medium
