Fractionation of linear saturated (co)polyesters by differential precipitation

Summary Samples of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate) (PENT) and poly(ethylene naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate) (PEN), materials which find application in textile and packaging industry, have been investigated, with the aim to obtain narrow molecular weight fractions suitable for further characterization. Preliminary results concerning with the fractionation of gram-quantities of the polyesters are reported, using a method based on the fractional precipitation from a phenol/1,2,4-thrichlorobenzene solution of the polymer, using n-heptane as non-solvent. Obtained fractions have been characterized by intrinsic viscosity measurements and Gel Permeation Chromatography analysis.