KU Leuven
Question
Asked 11 July 2014
How do you dissolve polyethyelene terephthalate (PET)?
I'm trying to dissolve PET to make a film out of it. I'm having a hard time finding good solvents and procedures online and would appreciate any help I can get.
Most recent answer
Jonas Alin Temperature and in how much time you achieve? Can you please write in detail? Thank you
Popular answers (1)
Électricité de France (EDF)
Dissolution can be obtained in o-chlorophenol and o-cresol at about 80-90°C (these solvents have a strong and persistant smell). Or as said in a previous answer in tetrachloroethane/phenol solution. Never use acidic or basic solutions, else the polymer will be degraded.
5 Recommendations
All Answers (28)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
I'm making a film to act as a substrate for a flexible solar cell. Will this procedure still work?
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
Try phenol at 90 c. Should be work fine Good luck
2 Recommendations
An-Najah National University
Going by the book, poly(ethylene terephthalate) is soluble in phenol, o-chlorophenol, nitrobenzene and DMSO. Practically, dissolving PET is not easy, as you have observed. I suggest this mixture (tetrachlorethane/phenol) to dissolve PET.
It is important to note that a polymer takes time to dissolve completely (common practice for testing solubility is to place 0.1 g polymer/10 mL solvent in stoppered test tube overnight).
When you have clear solution of the polymer, you can cast a film as follows:
Place a metallic ring (diameter similar to small-sized coffee cup & the ring width or the hight is reasonable) inside a glass dish in the hood. Pour little mercury inside the ring. Pour little solution over Hg & let the solvent vaporize by itself without any heating.
You will see the circular film having same diameter as the ring. Pull the film carefully with tweezers. Obviously, you can determine the thickness of the film by varying the amount of solution poured over Hg.
2 Recommendations
Institutul Cantacuzino
PET dissolves at room temperature in halogenated strong acids such as trifluoroacetic acid (either pure or as mixtures with dichloromethane).
2 Recommendations
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
PET dissolves quite well and quickly in 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoro-2-propanol.
1 Recommendation
Électricité de France (EDF)
Dissolution can be obtained in o-chlorophenol and o-cresol at about 80-90°C (these solvents have a strong and persistant smell). Or as said in a previous answer in tetrachloroethane/phenol solution. Never use acidic or basic solutions, else the polymer will be degraded.
5 Recommendations
Dissolve PET it in Dichloromethane (DCM) and put in a magnetic mixer by a couple hours.
2 Recommendations
Manchester Metropolitan University
Hi everyone following your comments.
I'd like to know if you think that any of the methods any of you mentioned would be suitable to disolve a PET substrate in order to leave a SIOx (containing H and C) coating for thickness measurement.
The PET is 120microns thick.
Thank you very much
Nessima
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
dissolve the PET in phenol at high temp , it needs warming, shaking, and time to dissolve such polymer.
1,1,1, 3, 3, 3, hexafluoro-2-propanol is a good solvent for PET as well
National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra
WE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES FOR SEVERAL DAY IN DMF DMSO and DMF but not dissolving PET
Penn Color
Dear Everyone,
Do you know how long take to dissolve PET resin in o-cresol at 85 C?
I have been waiting for 1 hr and a half and nothing happens so far (I am doing it in a oven)
Thank you so much for you r help!
1 Recommendation
Sever Pharma Solutions
You can dissolve PET in a mixture of about 1:1 chloroform:hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)
I have tried this myself and was able to fully dissolve the plastic in a short time.
3 Recommendations
Australian Institute of Advanced Studies
Hi All,
How to calculate 𝛿d, 𝛿p, and 𝛿h Hansen Parameters of polymers and solvents at different temperatures?
I am using this Equation (Ra)^2 = 4 ( 𝛿d2 − 𝛿d1)^2 + ( 𝛿p2 − 𝛿p1)^2 + ( 𝛿h2 − 𝛿h1)^2 and this equation 𝜒 = VA / RT to select good solvent for polymers at different temperatures.
Could you please give an example of how to solve the equations below?
I am confused how to calculate δD, δP, δH with temperatures change and how to find α
dδD/dT = –1.25αδD
dδP/dT = –0.5αδP
dδH/dT = – δH(1.22 × 10–3 + 0.5α)
Thanks
KU Leuven
Rabab M. Nasser I tried in DMSO with different temperatures like 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 75 but could not dissolve. Can you please write in detail how you did it? Thank you
KU Leuven
Jonas Alin Temperature and in how much time you achieve? Can you please write in detail? Thank you
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