Synthesis and Characterization of Thermoplastic Poly(Ester Amide)s Elastomer (TPEaE) Obtained from Recycled PET

A series of thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) and thermoplastic poly(ester amide)s elastomer (TPEaE)copolymers were obtained by depolymerizing PET (polyethylene terephthalate) by which the waste PET canbe efficiently recovered and recycled into value-added products from a practical and economical point of view.The structure of TPEE and TPEaE was identified using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transforminfrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data showed that the melting temperature(Tm) decreased with the amide content increased. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was increased as introducingthe amide group, and the formation of amide-ester and amide-amide hydrogen bonds increased the intermolecularchain force. The intrinsic viscosity (η) showed the tendency of increment from TPEE (0.53 dL g^(−1)) to TPEaE-5%(0.72 dL g^(−1)) due to the reinforcement of hydrogen bond and chain entanglement.