Process for fabricating tough polyethylene terephthalate articles with low gas and organic liquid permeability

摘要

Tough articles having low permeability to organic liquids and vapors are melt-fabricated from a blend of polyethylene terephthalate and a toughening polymer, which can be an alpha -olefin/ alpha , beta -unsaturated carboxylic copolymer, an ionomer derived from such copolymer by neutralization with magnesium or zinc ions, or an E/X/Y copolymer in which E is ethylene, X being a lower alkyl acrylate, methacrylate, or ethacrylate, and Y being glycidyl methacrylate or glycidyl acrylate, by observing conditions such that crystallization of polyethylene terephthalate is minimized, such as by maintaining the surfaces of melt-fabricating equipment in contact with the polymer blend below 1000C or by rapidly quenching the article if made at a higher temperature, and by avoiding the presence of nucleating agents in the polymer blend.