A Study of Amine-Etched Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate) Filaments by HVEM and SEM

Abstract

The n-alkyl amines cleave the ester link in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and release ethylene glycol and the amine soluble N, N'dialkyl terephthalamide. Earlier work suggests that ethylamine is more selective in attack than methylamine in that regions of low structural order are attacked more rapidly than are crystalline areas. Findings similar to those described above and reported elsewhere have also been found in the present studies for treatments with a higher homologue, n-propylamine, in the neat condition.