Purified Terephthalic Acid CAS 100-21-0

What Purified Terephthalic Acid Is

PTA is the purified form of terephthalic acid, one of the two monomers that make PET, delivered as a free-flowing white powder. It starts from para-xylene, which is oxidized in glacial acetic acid and then hydrogenated to strip out the 4-CBA left by the first reaction. That cleanup is the whole point of the word purified: clean, uniform PTA polymerizes smoothly into high-molecular-weight PET, while crude or off-spec material gives yellowish, low-strength polymer. We ship fiber-grade PTA with a COA for every lot, so incoming inspection can be cleared without re-testing.

Where It Is Used

• Polyester fiber. This takes the most PTA, spun into PET staple and filament for clothing, home textiles and industrial fabrics.
• Bottle-grade PET. Bottle-chip makers polymerize PTA into the clear, food-contact resin later blown into water and beverage bottles and food containers.
• Polyester film. BOPET film made from PTA is used for packaging, electrical insulation, electronics and solar backsheets.
• Engineering polyesters and additives. Smaller tonnages go into PBT and PTT resins, unsaturated polyester and powder coatings, the DOTP plasticizer and terephthaloyl chloride.

Typical Specifications

Below are the standard physical properties of the fiber-grade PTA we ship. Assay, 4-CBA, p-toluic acid, color and particle size vary by lot and are shown on that lot’s COA.

Storage, Packaging and Ordering

• Keep the bags sealed in a dry, cool warehouse and away from moisture, strong oxidizers and direct sunlight. Damp powder clumps and will not feed evenly into a slurry line, so dry storage matters more than temperature.
• PTA travels as ordinary, non-hazardous cargo, but the fine dust burns. Keep dust down, earth conveying equipment, run local extraction where powder is open, and keep ignition sources away.
• We pack 25 kg PE-lined kraft or woven bags, 500 kg and 1000 kg FIBC jumbo bags, or bulk in a container liner or tanker. COA and SDS travel with the order, and food-contact or special particle-size lots can be arranged. Send your target polymer, packing and tonnage for a quote.

FAQ

Q: What is PTA mainly used for?

A: Nearly all of it becomes PET, mostly fiber, then bottle chips and film; smaller amounts go into PBT, coatings and DOTP.

Q: What is 4-CBA and why check it?

A: It carries over from crude acid; low levels give PET the right color and molecular weight, so every COA reports it.

Q: How is PTA packed and is it hazardous?

A: It is non-hazardous ordinary cargo, shipped in 25 kg bags, 500 kg or 1000 kg jumbo bags, or in bulk, with COA and SDS.