The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1998
Michael Paul Ekart, Kingsport, TN (US);
Thomas Michael Pell, Jr, Kingsport, TN (US);
David Dunlap Cornell, Kingsport, TN (US);
Damon Bryan Shackelford, Johnson City, TN (US);
Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN (US);
Abstract
A process for recovering suitable polyester feedstock material from recycled polyester includes the steps of depolymerizing the polyester into its component ester monomers and half-esters; separating the monomers and half-esters from other secondary materials; and mixing the component ester monomers and half-esters with additional monomers to produce a low molecular weight polyester. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the recycled polyester is contacted with a component monomer or oligomer thereof to liquefy the polyester before the polyester is depolymerized. The invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out the process. The apparatus includes a first reactor for depolymerizing the recycled polyester, a separator for separating ester monomeric components and half-esters from secondary materials produced in the first reactor, and a second reactor for producing a low molecular weight polyester from the liquefied separator products.