Processing and testing of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/polycarbonate (PET/PC) blends from waste PET bottles and compact discs (CD)

Waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) were granulated with a twin-screw extruder to obtain blends contg. 5-95% of each component. The PET/ PC granulates as well as the starting PET and PC polymers were subjected to the injection process to obtain test specimens. Phys. (d., water absorption), thermal (glass transition temp., crystallization temp., melting point and Vicat softening point), mech. (tensile and bending strength, impact strength, hardness), rheological properties (melt viscosity at processing temp.) and morphology were tested. PET/ PC mixts. with strictly defined parameters showed the good functional properties, comparable or better than the initial polymers.