PBT Recycled from Post Industrial Waste: technical characteristics, production, uses and most common products.

Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) falls within the family of technopolymers through the implementation of a reaction between terephthalic acid and butylene glycol.

PBT has a crystalline structure with excellent mechanical characteristics, so much so that it is often used to replace thermosetting resins.

It is often used mixed with glass fiber or other fillers, to enhance its performance characteristics, or with polycarbonate (PC) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or with other elastomers.

The most common uses of PBT are in the automotive, mechanics and electronics sectors.

What are the main technical characteristics of the PBT

• good dielectric properties

• good wear resistance

• high melting point: above 220 - 230 ° C

• high thermal and dimensional stability

• excellent mechanical rigidity even at high temperatures

• resilience (impact resistance)

• stiffness higher than the same PET

• pleasant aesthetic appearance of the artifacts

• resistance to most chemicals

How PBT works

Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) can be processed through injection molding, extrusion and blow molding, creating items that can be laser painted, printed and even welded.

Where is PBT used

The fields of use of the PBT are truly manifold and can be summarily grouped here:

• mechanical and electronic parts of the automotive industry

• non-automotive mechanical industry

• electrical and electronic industry

• textile industry (filaments)

• toys

• household items

• leisure articles

• packaging

How PBT is recycled

Items made with PBT at the end of their life can be recycled both as industrial (post-industrial) and post-consumer waste.

Considering that the PBT polymer can be bound and coupled to other polymers in the creation of products, in the recycling phases it is very important to verify that these types of polymeric symbiosis exist or not.

In this case, the parts to be recycled must be kept separate from the articles made up of PBT only.

Recycling consists of sorting (also by color), grinding of the articles, washing (if the material comes from post-consumer waste, such as coffee pods) and then extruded into granules.

What are the most common items made with PBT

• details under the hood

• bodywork details

• dashboards

• housing of rear-view mirrors

• details of the engine starting device

• light holder

• battery holder

• parables for light holders

• airbags

• anti-collision warning systems

• details of electric seat handling mechanisms

• impellers of water pumps

• butterfly valve housings

• details of gears

• heads of electric motors

• soft

• wheel hubs

• various profiles

• printer keyboards

• connectors

• capacitors and other electronic components

• components and parts of household appliances

• switches

• lamp holder

• encapsulation of transformers and solenoids

• knitwear items

• underwear

• swimwear

• spools and reels

• toys

• household items

• articles for optical fibers

On the rMIX recycling portal you will find offers and requests for PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) recycled in granules, ground, densified and in bales.