Inventors:
Stephen F. Pusztaszeri - Port Chester NY
International Classification:
C07C 5100
C07C 5142
C07C 2726
Abstract:
Polyester scrap such as film (plain or silver-bearing), fabric, yarn or bottles, based primarily on polyethylene terephthalate, is depolymerized at room temperature and atmospheric pressure with a mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid and water to form crude terephthalic acid which is purified by dissolving in alkali solution, filtering to remove impurities, acidifying the filtrate to recover terephthalic acid in high yield with a purity of at least 99%.