PET is used for packaging many of the foods and beverages that we consume; it is a very lightweight and strong material. It is approved by the FDA and similar regulating agencies worldwide as safe for food and beverage contact, even though trace amounts of antimony oxide may migrate into the beverages bottled in PET over extended periods of exposure to heat. PET does not contain Bisphenol A (BPA), dioxins or plasticizers.
PET can also be used as a component in fabrics such as spandex. When it is ‘drawn’ into high-strength textile fibres, PET imparts exceptional stiffness to the fabric, and it has low moisture absorption. It is also used to make film and molded parts for a variety of industries, such as automotive, electronics, and industrial applications.
A special modification to the polyethylene terephthalate backbone, which replaces an ethylene glycol unit with cyclohexanedimethanol, produces a semicrystalline product known as PET-G. This form of PET can be injection molded, sheet extruded and even extruded as filament for 3D printing. Its high tensile strength and toughness make it ideal for use in automotive components such as body side molding, dashboards, window trim, instrument panels, and airbag casing.
PET can also be used to create a very clear amorphous thermoplastic called PEF (polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified), which can be molded, extruded and formed into sheets for industrial uses, or cut and shaped into the final shape and color needed by the customer. This is a more economical version of PET, and it is often used in food packaging. It is also used in applications such as solar junction boxes and electrical insulators.