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Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

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The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
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The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
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Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
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The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Manufacturing Of Robust Natural Fiber Preforms Utilizing Bacterial Cellulose as Binder
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Depolymerization of Polycotton-Blended Fabrics: Challenges and Opportunities.

Elena Rosini1, Jacopo La Rocca2, Camilla Loro2

  • 1Department o Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.

Chemsuschem
|November 17, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Recycling blended textile waste, like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cotton, is challenging. Chemical and enzymatic methods offer promising solutions for monomer recovery and reuse.

Keywords:
circular economycottonhydrolysispolyethylene terephthalatetextile waste blends

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Textile Recycling

Background:

  • Textile industry growth increases fiber production and waste, with PET/cotton blends prevalent.
  • Blended fabrics offer desirable properties but complicate recycling due to composite structures.
  • Conventional recycling methods often lead to material degradation and loss.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate current cotton/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrolysis processes.
  • To highlight advancements in pretreatment and process integration for textile recycling.
  • To explore sustainable recycling strategies for blended fabrics.

Main Methods:

  • Review of chemical and enzymatic recycling strategies for PET and cotton.
  • Analysis of selective depolymerization techniques.
  • Evaluation of pretreatment methods and process integration.

Main Results:

  • Chemical and enzymatic methods enable selective depolymerization of PET and cotton.
  • High-purity monomers like terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, and glucose can be recovered.
  • Recovered monomers show potential for polymer synthesis and bio-based products.

Conclusions:

  • Innovative chemical and enzymatic recycling offer viable solutions for PET/cotton blended waste.
  • Advancements in pretreatment and process integration are crucial for efficient recycling.
  • These methods support a circular economy by enabling monomer reintegration and valorization.