Is there a method to laminate Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)?

[PlasticNoob69]

Hi all,

I've been working on PET manufacturing but I'm unsure of what method to get the Vicat and Heat Distortion Temperature for amorphous PET. Unlike most other plastics, heating PET to and past its glass transition temperature crystallizes it so getting a working sample before crystallization is difficult.

I've seen that injection molding PET can get a laminated sample, but I'm wondering if by manually pressing it with a moderately high temperature and pressure can also get it to laminate so I can test its HDT and Vicat?

Thanks all for any help.

 

[Demon3]

The HDT of amorphous PET is 66°C at 0.45MPa


Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC
President

Plastic materials consultant to the Fortune 100
Creating New Materials - Problem Solving - Innovation Keynotes - Expert Witness

http://www.phantomplastics.com

 

[PlasticNoob69]

Right, I've verified those results in my lab since my post. It is possible to laminate after some trial and error.

However, I am interested if slip additives can affect the lamination process? I tried completely virgin PET extruded in our lab and it laminated marvelously. But attempting it with some amounts of slip agents caused it to have hiccups and not laminate fully so it can be peeled apart. So I believe with the slip agents, it migrated to the surface of the polymer and bloomed causing each layered sheet to not "stick together".