Polytrimethylene terephthalate
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Other names
Poly(trimethylene terephthalate); Poly(oxy-1,3-propanediyloxycarbonyl-1,4-phenylenecarbonyl) | |
| Identifiers | |
| ChemSpider |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| (C11H10O4)n | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references | |
Polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), is a polyester synthesized and patented in 1941. It is produced by a method called condensation polymerization or transesterification. The two monomer units used in producing this polymer are: 1,3-propanediol and terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate. Similar to polyethylene terephthalate, the PTT is used to make carpet fibers.
PTT's value as a commercial polymer has improved due to more economical and efficient methods to produce 1,3-propanediol in the 1980s by Degussa, via acrolein, and Shell via the hydroformylation of ethylene oxide. DuPont has successfully commercialized the production of this polymer via 1,3-propanediol obtained by fermentation. These developments may allow PTT to effectively compete against PBT and PET, two polyesters that have been far more successful than PTT to date.