PET
POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE
Polyethylene Terephthalate is divided into two categories of materials, distinct for characteristics and applications: PET-P and PET-P + PTFE, commonly known by the trade names of Arnite®, Ertalyte® and Hostaphan®, which are technopolymers obtained by extrusion and PET00-01 and PET-G which are extruded panels in polyester and thermoplastic copolyester. PET is a combination of two monomers, while PETG has the same chemical composition as PET with the addition of glycol (from which it inherits the final letter G).
Features and Types
PET-P
PET-P is a technopolymer with excellent sliding characteristics, a very hard and wear-resistant material. The exceptional stability, low water absorption and low thermal expansion make it one of the best materials for obtaining extremely tight dimensional tolerances. It has good electrical insulation properties and has high stiffness. It works with temperatures between -20°C and +100°C. It is also suitable for contact with food.
PET-P+PTFE
It is obtained by adding a filler of PTFE to virgin PET-p; maintains the main characteristics with a further improvement in smoothness at high rotational speeds. This material is used in cases where there are heavy loads or high speeds and the need to maintain dimensional stability.
PET00–01
The PET00 and PET01 sheets have characteristics that make them a good compromise between methacrylate and polycarbonate. Like Polycarbonate: they have a good fire resistance classification, as they are self-extinguishing; they have good impact resistance (PET-G is better in this) and high resistance to chemical and environmental agents. Like methacrylate they can be used in the food industry. They have good transparency (although lower than methacrylate). Furthermore, they are easily thermoformable as they do not need to be dried before the thermoforming process. They have good resistance to yellowing due to UV rays.
PET-G
PETG is a less brittle, softer and more impact resistant material than PET (it can be compared to polycarbonate); however, this softness makes it more easily scratched on the surface and less resistant to UV rays. The extruded PETG sheets have high optical properties, a bright surface and are particularly suitable for vacuum thermoforming without the need for preliminary drying, thus ensuring greater savings in the overall cost of production compared to other apparently lower cost materials. The excellent resistance to low temperatures is worth noting.
Processing
Applicazions
The applications are very varied depending on the type of material. PET-P is mainly used in industry, while PET and PET-G sheets are used in very different sectors and in particular in the thermoforming sector.
