Plasticizer DEHTP obtention through chemical recycling of post-consumer PET waste

Abstract

The plasticizers market of polyvinyl chloride, PVC, in Brazil is about 200 thousand tons per year, making it interesting to study new alternatives to di(Ethyl Hexyl Phthalate) (DEHP or DOP - dioctyl phthalate), the plasticizer used in more countries. Despite of the excellent cost-performance, DEHP has legal restrictions for some uses, for possible contamination it may cause to consumers. Internationally, one of the alternatives is the di ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHTP) whose raw material, in addition to 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (also used for the manufacture of DEHP), is generally dimethyl terephthalate (DMT). The DEHTP does not have the restrictions that exist for DEHP because the DMT is used in the manufacture of poly (ethylene terephthalate), PET, widely used as bottles of soda and mineral water, for example. It is even possible, and increasingly common, the manufacturing DEHTP from a reaction of the same 2-ethyl-1-hexanol with PET itself, making a chemical recycling of the polymer. The objective of this project is to obtain DEHTP by chemical recycling of post-consumer PET waste and characterize the plasticizer obtained. To this end, the project has the financial support of the State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in its Aid Line Regular (process number 14 / 18072-0). (AU)