Tertiary alkanolamines, i.e., N-methyldiethanolamine, N-ethyldiethanolamine, N-isopropyldiethanolamine, N-(n-butyl)diethanolamine, N-cyclohexyldiethanolamine, N-isopropanoldiethanolamine, triethanolamine, triisopropanolamine, N,N‘-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine, N,N,N‘,N‘-tetra(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine, and N,N,N‘,N‘-tetra(2-hydroxyethyl)propylene 1,3-diamine
were applied as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) solvolytic agents. Solvolysis (i.e., aminoglycolysis) of PET was performed at 190−220 °C for 90−240 min. PET aminoglycolysates were
characterized via hydroxyl number and viscosity measurements, whereas some products were
characterized by SEC, HPLC, and FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopies. Selected products were
tested as epoxy resin hardeners for elevated-temperature curing. Rheometric properties, as well
as heats of the cross-linking reactions in the systems containing liquid bisphenol A based epoxy
resin and PET aminoglycolysates (with a broad ratio of the latter) were investigated and
compared. The accessibility of nitrogen atoms expressed by the substituent molar volume is a
key factor determining the chemical activity of PET aminoglycolysates toward epoxy resin
polymerization. FTIR measurements revealed that the transesterification reaction of bisesters
of terephthalic acid and tertiary alkanolamines with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether derivatives
bearing secondary OH groups plays an important role in the formation of the epoxy resin network.
