CPC C08G 63/183 (2013.01) [B01J 8/24 (2013.01); B29B 9/065 (2013.01); C08G 63/785 (2013.01); C08G 63/85 (2013.01); C08G 63/866 (2013.01); C12P 7/625 (2013.01); B29K 2067/003 (2013.01); B29K 2995/006 (2013.01); C08G 2230/00 (2013.01)] | 17 Claims |
1. A process of manufacturing biodegradable polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the process comprising:
(a) providing purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in a slurry tank;
(b) providing virgin or recycled monoethylene glycol (MEG) in the slurry tank, thereby forming a combination of PTA and MEG in the slurry tank;
(c) transferring the combination of PTA and MEG from the slurry tank to an esterification reactor;
(d) esterifying the combination of PTA and MEG in the esterification reactor, thereby forming monomers;
(e) transferring the monomers from the esterification reactor to a polymerization reactor; and
(f) polymerizing the monomers in the polymerization reactor, thereby producing PET polymer, wherein one or more poly-catalysts provided in the polymerization reactor comprises at least one of Ti-based catalyst or Sb2O3,
wherein an enzyme-based composition is provided in one or more of:
(I) the slurry tank at (a) or (b);
(II) the esterification reactor at (d), provided the enzyme-based composition is water soluble; or
(III) the polymerization reactor at (f).
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