Polyethyleneteraphathalate (PET) is widely used in our daily life due to its attractive features. The PET has good tenacity and high creep resistance, which can sustain from deformation under mechanical stresses. Since the PET is an artificial polymer and unrecyclable. Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF), which is a kind of 100% biobased material and is made from plant-based raw material rather than crude oil, can replace the current PET materials for the plastic-made materials. Furthermore, the PEF also has better mechanical properties compared to the PET, such as higher glass transition temperature and modulus, and lower melting point, which are important factors in the production of plastic.
This project aims to develop a mass production process for the PEF materials so that it can be widely used in the plastics industry. In addition, the designing of the chemical process and its modification to the current approach will surely bring benefits to the community.