Abstract: Decontaminated crushed polyethylene terephthalate is converted to decontaminated PBT withtout requiring a catalyst by mixing with 1,4-butanediol under reduced pressure, transeterifying at 120-190° C., distilling off ethanediol and tetrahydrofuran under sub-atomspheric pressure. The method lowers costs, and decreases wasteful by-products and removes contaminants present in post-consumer PET, (e.g. paper, pigments, plastics, dyes, mineral sands, and clays) and chemical and water insoluble contaminants.

Abstract: A process for removing contaminants from material containing polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") which has been embrittled by mixing material containing PET with ethanediol having a temperature at or about the boiling point of ethanediol for a predetermined period of time, the process including the steps of:(a) transesterifying the PET by reacting ethanediol having a temperature at or about the boiling point of ethanediol with the PET for a predetermined period of time to form a solution containing soluble short chain PET polymers and/or his (hydroxy ethyl) terephthalate ester ("BHT");(b) recovering short chain PET polymers and/or BHT and ethanediol; and(c) hydrolysing the recovered short chain PET polymers and/or BHT at elevated pressure and temperature for a predetermined period of time to form an ethanediol solution and crystals of terephthalic acid.

Abstract: A process for removing contaminants from PET components by depolymerising poly ethylene terephthalate ("PET") comprising transesterifying material containing PET by reacting ethanediol having a temperature at or about the boiling point of ethanediol with the material for a predetermined period of time to form a solution containing soluble short chain PET polymers and/or bis (hydroxy ethyl) terephthalate ester ("BHT"); recovering short chain PET polymers and/or BHT and ethanediol; and hydrolysing the recovered short chain PET polymers and/or BHT at elevated pressure and temperature for a predetermined period of time to form an ethanediol solution and crystals of terephthalic acid.

Abstract: A selective adsorbent for the separation of organic material from solution comprises adsorbent particles and magnetic particles embedded in a porous matrix of organic polymeric material, the porosity of the matrix being selected so as to allow only molecules of up to a certain order of molecular weight to enter into the interstitial structure of the matrix whereby the composite material functions selectively to adsorb dissolved materials from solution. The adsorbent is useful, inter alia, in the food processing industry where trace quantities of materials need to be separated from complex mixtures.