Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), with chemical formula C₈H₆O₄, is the essential diaromatic acid monomer for polyester production. This white crystalline solid or powder features stable chemical properties and high purity (≥99.5%), ensuring superior performance in downstream polyester applications. As a key intermediate in modern petrochemical industries, PTA is primarily used to produce Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) for manufacturing polyester fiber, PET bottle resin, polyester film, and engineering plastics.
Core Applications & Industrial Significance
PTA serves as the foundational material across multiple industrial sectors including textiles, packaging, beverages, electronics, and appliances, earning its reputation as the "Mother of the Polyester Industry".
Polyester Fiber Production (65-70% of PTA usage) - Reacts with Ethylene Glycol to form PET melt for spinning into polyester filament and staple fiber. Offers high strength, elasticity, abrasion resistance, wrinkle resistance, and quick-drying properties for apparel, home textiles, and industrial applications.
PET Bottle Resin & Packaging (25-30% of PTA usage) - Creates bottle-grade PET resin for liquid food packaging including carbonated drinks, bottled water, and edible oils. Provides excellent clarity, mechanical strength, gas barrier properties, light weight, and recyclability.
Polyester Film (BOPET) - Produces biaxially oriented polyester film with high strength, transparency, electrical insulation, and dimensional stability for packaging, magnetic recording, electronics, and solar panel applications.
Engineering Plastics - Used in production of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) for automotive and electronic components.
Production Technology & Quality Standards
PTA manufacturing involves large-scale continuous production through high-temperature liquid-phase oxidation of para-xylene (PX), followed by hydrogenation purification to achieve fiber-grade or bottle-grade purity requirements.
Product Specifications
Form: Dry white powder or granules
Purity: ≥99.5% (up to >99.9%)
Key Parameters: Acid Value, 4-CBA content, Color (b-value), Moisture, Ash, Metal impurities
Grades: Fiber-Grade PTA & Bottle-Grade PTA
Market Position & Client Services
As the world's largest PTA producer and consumer, China maintains highly concentrated production capacity. Our PTA features high purity, white color, minimal impurities, and consistent batch quality. We serve leading polyester fiber companies, PET bottle resin producers, BOPET film manufacturers, and engineering plastics compounders with premium products and comprehensive technical consulting services for process optimization and quality enhancement.