Polyethylene and Polyterephthalate are Outdated Essay -- Polymer PET P

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Outdated: Is the World Ready for a New Plastic? Abstract: This paper explains the structure of polymer poly(ethylene terephthalate) also known as PET. It states the properties of the plastic as well recycling methods. My goal was to find out what makes PET the number one plastic, both in consumption as well as the most recycled. I also searched for new polymers that are being created by scientists and compare them to PET to see if there was a plastic out there that is better for the environment. I found a few alternatives that would be able to replace PET but aren’t being used. I also found a fire-proof polymer called BHDB which can replace the previously used polymer. Poly(ethylene terephthalate), a plastic found in soda bottles, peanut butter jars, and even pillow and sleeping bag filling [1], is the most used and recycled plastic. As Americans we use about 2.5 million plastic bottles per hour. Most of this plastic that we are using, though, ends up not only in land fields but in oceans and other undesirable places, only a small portion of it is actually recycled. Plastic are long chains of polymeric molecules. Unlike paper or other compounds, plastics are commonly used for their qualities such as durability weight, processibility, cost, corrosion, and impact resistance. 2 The basic composition of polymers includes oil, coal and natural gas though recently they have been more petroleum-based[1]. About 140 million tons per year are produced and a lot of that ends up as waste in land fields [1]. There are many characteristics PET has that contribute to the popularity of this polymer. Among those characteristics are lightweight, low density, low cost, mechanical toughness, dura... ...e motivated and helping me make my paper the best it can be. Thanks to Ryan Dill for the title idea and lastly the girls of Room 303, without them I’d still be writing the first sentence of my paper. 7 Works Cited [1] â€Å"Biotechnology Advances† Volume 26, Issue 3. ScienceDirect May-June 2008: Pages 246-265. 24 July 2008. 1&_user=4421&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000059598 &_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=4421&md5=34933854b44913198526946dc2afce 96> [2] â€Å"PET.† 24 July 2008. [3] â€Å"How to Recycle PET.† KenPlas. 24 July 2008. [4] â€Å"New Enviro-Friendly Flame-Retardant Synthetic Polymer† Posted 31 May 2007. 24 July 2008.