PCTG IBM · HIGH-CLARITY COPOLYMER · BPA-FREE · KOREA EVER-POWER
PCTG (polycyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate glycol-modified copolymer) is the premium BPA-free clear polymer for injection blow molding applications requiring water-clear transparency, chemical resistance to cosmetic formulations and food contact compliance. Korea Ever-Power ZQ40 and ZQ60 IBM machines produce PCTG containers from 10ml through 500ml for cosmetic, personal care, food and pharmaceutical applications where clarity, chemical resistance and BPA-free compliance are simultaneously required.
KOREA EVER-POWER · ANSAN-SI, GYEONGGI-DO · JULI 2026
PCTG IBM REFERENCE · KEY PROCESS DATA
WALL HAZE
<1% (waterhelder)
PCTG IBM wall haze below 1% at 0.5-0.8mm body wall — comparable to glass clarity and superior to GPPS IBM at equivalent wall thickness due to PCTG’s amorphous copolyester structure
TEMPERATUUR VAN DE LOOP
240–275°C
PCTG IBM barrel temperature range on Korea Ever-Power ZQ40/ZQ60 — significantly higher than PP (210-240°C) but lower than PPSU (340-370°C), requiring standard ZQ40/ZQ60 barrel configuration without special high-temperature upgrade
VOORDROGEN
80–90°C / 4 hr
PCTG is hygroscopic and MUST be dried to below 0.02% moisture before IBM processing. Insufficient drying produces hydrolytic degradation and bubble/haze defects in PCTG IBM wall. Minimum 4-hour drying at 80-90°C in dehumidifying hopper dryer
CHEMICAL RESISTANCE
Superior to PS/PP
PCTG IBM resists alcohols up to 70%, aromatic fragrance components, esters, and cosmetic surfactants that cause haze or ESCR failure in PS or PP IBM — making PCTG IBM the preferred material for cosmetic formulations with alcohol or essential oil content
SECTIE 01
PCTG is a copolyester resin produced by substituting a portion of ethylene glycol in standard PET with cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), disrupting the regular polymer chain structure enough to prevent crystallisation and produce a permanently amorphous copolymer with exceptional optical clarity. Unlike PET, which crystallises during blow moulding and becomes hazy, PCTG remains water-clear through the injection and blow stages of the IBM process, producing containers with haze below 1% that exceed the optical clarity of GPPS IBM and rival glass at wall thicknesses of 0.5-1.0mm. PCTG’s amorphous structure also provides chemical resistance properties that PP and GPPS cannot match for cosmetic formulations — PCTG IBM containers resist alcohol concentrations up to 70%, aromatic fragrance components (limonene, linalool), common cosmetic esters (ethyl acetate, isopropyl myristate) and surfactants that cause haze or stress cracking in PS or PP IBM alternatives. Korea Ever-Power’s ZQ40 and ZQ60 IBM machines process PCTG at 240-275°C barrel temperature using standard IBM barrel configuration, producing PCTG containers from 10ml through 500ml for global cosmetic, personal care and food contact brand applications.
Why IBM (Not ISBM) for PCTG?
PCTG is an IBM material, not an ISBM (injection stretch blow moulding) material. ISBM requires biaxial orientation of the polymer chain at the stretch-blow stage — PET ISBM derives its mechanical and barrier properties from this biaxial orientation. PCTG’s amorphous structure provides insufficient strain hardening during stretch inflation to produce consistent biaxial orientation at ISBM stretch ratios — making PCTG unsuitable for conventional ISBM processing on standard PET ISBM machines. IBM’s process (injection preform, blow inflation without stretch rod) inflates PCTG preform uniformly using the preform wall to distribute material at IBM blow ratios of 1.5:1 to 2.5:1 without requiring stretch orientation — exploiting PCTG’s exceptional melt clarity and chemical resistance without the orientation requirement that ISBM imposes. This makes Korea Ever-Power’s ZQ series IBM machines the correct platform for PCTG container production at small-to-medium formats.
PCTG IBM Market Applications
The primary PCTG IBM container markets served by Korea Ever-Power ZQ machines: Korean cosmetic brands requiring glass-alternative clear serum and essence bottles (K-Beauty export brands for European and US market launch), European premium cosmetic brands transitioning from glass to BPA-free clear plastic primary packaging for sustainability goals, food contact PCTG IBM containers for condiment and specialty food products requiring clarity plus alcohol resistance (vinegar, flavoured spirits, premium sauce in clear rigid containers), and medical device packaging where water-clear visibility of device contents plus autoclave-proximity sterilisation resistance are required at small container formats (10-50ml PCTG IBM vials for medical device assembly packaging). Korea Ever-Power supplies PCTG IBM tooling and process expertise from its ZQ40 and ZQ60 platform across all four market segments.
SECTIE 02
| EIGENDOM | PCTG IBM ★ | GPPS IBM | PPSU IBM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wandnevel (0,6 mm) | <0.8% (water-clear) | <1.0% | Amber-tinted |
| BPA-vrij | Ja | Ja | Ja |
| Alcohol resistance (>40%) | Excellent (up to 70%) | Poor — hazes above 20% | Uitstekend |
| Fragrance/essential oil resistance | Good (limonene, linalool) | Poor — crazes with aromatics | Uitstekend |
| Vattemperatuur | 240–275°C (standard barrel) | 180–220°C | 340–370°C (special barrel) |
| Droogvereiste | Critical — 80–90°C 4hr dehumidifying | 80°C 2hr hopper | 120°C 4hr dehumidifying |
Heat deflection temperature~75°C (limited hot-fill)~80°C~210°C (autoclave)Cost tierMid-premiumStandardPremium (12-15x PS)
Key PCTG IBM selection insight: PCTG is the preferred IBM material when the application requires the combination of water-clear transparency AND alcohol or aromatic chemical resistance that PS IBM cannot provide. PPSU IBM offers equivalent chemical resistance with higher heat performance, but at 12-15x the resin cost. PCTG occupies the mid-premium tier between GPPS (low cost, limited chemical resistance) and PPSU (premium cost, highest heat/chemical performance) for clear IBM container applications.
SECTIE 03
PCTG IBM PROCESS SETTINGS — ZQ40 / ZQ60 (EASTMAN TRITAN TX1001 REFERENCE GRADE)
Drying
85°C / 4–6 hr
Dehumidifying hopper dryer (NOT hot air hopper dryer) at 85°C for minimum 4 hours — dew point below -20°C at dryer outlet required for PCTG moisture below 0.02% before IBM processing
Barrel Zone 1 (Rear)
240°C
PCTG rear barrel temperature 240°C for controlled plasticisation of PCTG pellets without premature thermal degradation at early barrel zones
Loopzone 3 (voorkant)
265–270°C
Front barrel temperature 265-270°C for clean injection fill of PCTG preform cavity at IBM injection pressure. Maximum barrel temperature 275°C — above 280°C PCTG begins thermal degradation producing yellowing and IPA acetaldehyde byproduct
Schimmeltemperatuur
10–15°C
Injection mould and blow mould cooling water at 10-15°C for rapid PCTG preform cooling below Tg (75°C) while maintaining amorphous clarity — rapid cooling is essential to prevent PCTG crystallisation that produces haze
Blaasdruk
6.0–7.5 bar
PCTG IBM blow pressure 6.0-7.5 bar — slightly lower than GPPS (7-8 bar) due to PCTG’s lower melt viscosity at IBM blow temperature facilitating lower pressure inflation into blow cavity
Max Dwell Time
<6 min
PCTG maximum barrel dwell time at processing temperature: below 6 minutes to prevent thermal degradation and acetaldehyde generation. ZQ40/ZQ60 shot cycle at normal production pace keeps dwell well below this limit; planned production stops require barrel purge or temperature reduction within 5 minutes
SECTIE 04
Cosmetic & K-Beauty
PCTG IBM is the material of choice for Korean cosmetic brands (K-Beauty) exporting premium serums, essences and eye creams to European and US markets where BPA-free clear container specifications are mandatory. The K-Beauty standard 30ml and 50ml serum bottle in PCTG IBM provides water-clear visibility of the serum formulation (including high-value formulations with gold particles or coloured actives that brands want visible through the bottle), alcohol resistance for alcohol-based toner and serum formulations, and BPA-free compliance for EU Cosmetics Regulation and US CFTA (Cosmetics Fragrance and Toiletry Association) retailer BPA-free shelf policy compliance. Korea Ever-Power ZQ40 is the primary IBM machine for Korean cosmetic brand PCTG IBM production in 30-100ml format, with ZQ40 at 10-12 cavities producing 8,000-10,000 PCTG serum bottles/hour for Korean export cosmetic production programmes.
Food Contact PCTG IBM
PCTG food contact IBM containers on Korea Ever-Power ZQ40/ZQ60 serve specialty food and condiment applications where clarity, alcohol resistance and BPA-free compliance are required simultaneously: premium vinegar and specialty sauce containers (50-200ml PCTG IBM for Japanese ponzu, Italian balsamic vinegar and specialty oil products), high-alcohol food product containers (vanilla extract at 35% alcohol, flavoured spirits for culinary use at 20-40% alcohol), and artisanal food producer direct-to-consumer containers where glass-alternative packaging at premium price tier is acceptable. PCTG IBM food contact containers use Eastman Tritan or Dak Americas PCTG grades with FDA 21 CFR 177.1315 food contact compliance for direct food contact use at ambient temperature.
Medical Device Packaging
PCTG IBM vials and small containers (10-50ml) serve medical device packaging applications requiring water-clear visibility of device contents, chemical resistance to isopropyl alcohol device sterilisation wipes, and BPA-free material compliance for medical device primary packaging under ISO 11607 (packaging for terminally sterilised medical devices). PCTG IBM is not autoclave-sterilisable (75°C HDT limits PCTG to ambient or gamma-sterilised device packaging), but for non-sterile medical device packaging requiring clear rigid containers resistant to IPA cleaning agents, PCTG IBM on Korea Ever-Power ZQ40 provides the clarity and chemical resistance specification at medical device primary packaging quality levels.
SECTIE 05
| GRADE | SUPPLIER | MFR | KEY FEATURE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tritan TX1001 | Eastman (USA) | ~14 g/10min | Standard IBM grade. FDA 21 CFR 177.1315. Highest global availability. Reference PCTG IBM grade for Korea Ever-Power ZQ process development. |
| Tritan MX711 | Eastman (USA) | ~7 g/10min | Lower MFR for thicker-wall IBM at slower injection speed. Slightly higher clarity than TX1001 at equivalent wall. Used for premium cosmetic IBM at 0.5mm thin wall. |
| PCTG 5445 | SK Chemicals (Korea) | ~12 g/10min | Korean domestic PCTG for K-Beauty IBM. Available at Korean polymer distributors. Comparable clarity to Tritan TX1001 at Korea Ever-Power ZQ40 IBM conditions. |
| Skygreen S2008 | SK Chemicals (Korea) | ~8 g/10min | Copolyester with PCTG-like clarity. Used on Korea Ever-Power ZQ40 for K-Beauty export serum bottles. Good alcohol resistance for Korean export cosmetic formulations with 10-30% ethanol. |
SECTIE 06
FDA 21 CFR 177.1315 PCTG Compliance
Eastman Tritan copolyesters are FDA-compliant under 21 CFR 177.1315 (copolymers of ethylene terephthalate and ethylene isophthalate) for repeat-use food contact containers. Tritan TX1001 and MX711 food contact compliance extends to food contact at temperatures up to 100°C (hot-fill limitation — PCTG HDT at 75°C means containers may deform at 100°C hot-fill; cold-fill and ambient temperature food contact applications are the primary PCTG IBM food contact market). Korea Ever-Power provides PCTG IBM customers with process documentation confirming barrel temperature below 275°C and dwell time below 6 minutes per batch — both critical FDA 21 CFR 177.1315 processing condition parameters for PCTG food contact compliance. SK Chemicals PCTG 5445 and Skygreen S2008 have Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) food contact approval and EU Regulation 10/2011 food contact compliance for Korean domestic and EU export PCTG IBM container applications.
EU Regulation 10/2011 and Korean MFDS
PCTG IBM containers for EU market food and cosmetic applications must comply with EU Regulation 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials (overall migration limit 10 mg/dm² in aqueous food simulant), with additional EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 requirements for cosmetic primary packaging. Eastman Tritan TX1001 carries EU 10/2011 Declaration of Compliance from Eastman for food contact use. Korean MFDS PCTG food contact approval: SK Chemicals PCTG 5445 is registered with Korean MFDS under the Plastic Container and Packaging Material Standard for food contact — enabling K-Beauty and Korean food brands to use PCTG 5445 IBM containers for Korean domestic food product packaging and Korean export to MFDS-recognised markets. Korea Ever-Power provides all PCTG IBM customers with a material compliance package (resin DoC, ZQ IBM process records) for regulatory submission.
Korean and global manufacturers planning PCTG IBM container production can contact Korea Ever-Power for ZQ40/ZQ60 PCTG IBM quotation, Tritan and SK Chemicals PCTG IBM process data, and food contact compliance documentation. The Korea Ever-Power IBM machinereeks produces PCTG IBM containers from 10ml serum vials through 500ml food containers for global cosmetic, food and medical device IBM applications.
Veelgestelde vragen over techniek
Vraag 01
Why does PCTG require a dehumidifying dryer rather than a standard hot-air hopper dryer?
PCTG is hygroscopic — the copolyester chain contains ester linkages that absorb atmospheric moisture through hydrogen bonding, reaching moisture content of 0.15-0.25% when exposed to ambient air at 50-70% relative humidity. At IBM barrel temperatures of 240-275°C, moisture above 0.02% causes hydrolytic chain scission of the PCTG ester bonds — reducing PCTG molecular weight, producing visible degradation haze in the IBM container wall and generating acetaldehyde (AA) as a hydrolytic byproduct. A standard hot-air hopper dryer circulates hot air (ambient dew point) through the PCTG pellet bed — while it heats the pellets and evaporates surface moisture, the drying air from ambient at 50-70% RH has insufficient drying capacity to reduce PCTG moisture below 0.02%. A dehumidifying dryer (also called dry-air dryer or compressed-air dryer) generates a closed-loop dry air stream with dew point below -20°C, typically -40°C — this ultra-low dew point driving force extracts deep PCTG pellet moisture below 0.02% within 4-6 hours at 85°C. Korea Ever-Power specifies a dehumidifying dryer as mandatory auxiliary equipment on ZQ40/ZQ60 PCTG IBM installations, typically a 15-30 kg/hour dehumidifying hopper dryer with dew point display, hopper insulation and automatic dew point alarm set at -20°C minimum for PCTG IBM quality assurance. Using a standard hot-air hopper dryer for PCTG IBM is one of the most common processing errors that produces hazy, degraded PCTG IBM containers — Korea Ever-Power’s commissioning documentation for all PCTG IBM customers includes explicit dryer specification verification before ZQ40/ZQ60 PCTG IBM startup qualification.
Vraag 02
Can PCTG IBM containers be used for products containing limonene (citrus fragrance)?
Yes, with concentration limits based on PCTG chemical resistance data from Eastman. PCTG IBM chemical resistance to limonene (d-limonene, the primary terpene in citrus fragrance) is significantly better than GPPS IBM, which crazes and hazes within hours of limonene contact at concentrations above 0.1%. Eastman Tritan TX1001 PCTG IBM resistance to d-limonene: Eastman’s published chemical resistance data shows Tritan PCTG IBM maintains clarity and structural integrity with d-limonene concentrations up to approximately 2-5% at ambient temperature, depending on limonene mixture and contact geometry (full immersion versus surface contact). Korean cosmetic formulations with citrus fragrance blends at 0.5-2% d-limonene in aqueous-alcoholic base are compatible with PCTG IBM on Korea Ever-Power ZQ40 containers at ambient temperature for expected shelf life of 12-24 months. For higher limonene concentrations (above 5%) or neat essential oil applications (bergamot, orange, lemon essential oils at 100% limonene concentration), contact compatibility testing specific to the formulation and PCTG IBM wall thickness is recommended before commercial launch. Korea Ever-Power recommends PCTG IBM customers submit proposed formulations for Eastman or SK Chemicals compatibility testing with their PCTG IBM container specification before committing to PCTG IBM for fragranced cosmetic applications with high citrus essential oil content.
Vraag 03
How does PCTG IBM clarity compare to standard injection-moulded PC (polycarbonate) containers?
PCTG IBM and PC injection moulded containers both achieve excellent optical clarity (<1% haze at 1mm wall), and at equivalent wall thickness their optical properties are comparable in terms of haze measurement. The key differences are: BPA content (PC contains BPA as a monomer at 0-0.1 ppm migration levels; PCTG is inherently BPA-free as its copolyester structure contains no bisphenol-derived monomers), impact resistance (PC has higher notched Izod impact resistance than PCTG at equivalent wall — PC IBM or injection-moulded containers are more impact-resistant for rough-handling applications), and chemical resistance profile (PCTG resists alcohols and esters better than PC in cosmetic formulations, while PC has better resistance to certain chlorinated solvents than PCTG). For the Korean and global cosmetic market where BPA-free is the primary specification driver, PCTG IBM is the preferred PC replacement — matching PC’s visual clarity while eliminating BPA from the container chemistry entirely, without the 12-15x cost premium of PPSU IBM alternatives. Korea Ever-Power ZQ40/ZQ60 PCTG IBM production provides Korean cosmetic brands with a BPA-free PC-equivalent clear container at mid-premium resin cost, processed on standard IBM machine configuration without special high-temperature barrel upgrade.
Vraag 04
What is the ZQ40 changeover procedure between PCTG and PP IBM production?
ZQ40 changeover between PCTG and PP IBM requires careful management of the barrel temperature transition and material compatibility, as PCTG (240-275°C) and PP (210-240°C) overlap at the lower PCTG and upper PP temperature ranges. PCTG to PP changeover procedure on ZQ40: reduce front barrel temperature from PCTG 265-270°C to PP transition temperature 250°C; purge 5-8 shots of PP at 250°C to clear PCTG from barrel front zones; reduce rear barrel to PP rear zone (195-210°C) and continue purging at PP standard temperatures (210-235°C front) for 10-15 additional shots; inspect purge output for PCTG clarity streaks or colour contamination under directional light; startup PP IBM production when purge shows consistent PP opaque appearance without clarity streaks. Total PCTG to PP changeover: approximately 20-30 purge shots over 15-20 minutes. PP to PCTG changeover: PP must be purged from ZQ40 barrel at elevated temperature (ramp barrel from PP 235°C to PCTG 265°C front while purging with PCTG resin to avoid PP degradation at PCTG temperature); 15-25 purge shots during temperature ramp; inspect purge clarity (PCTG purge output should be water-clear without PP opacity by shot 20-25); startup PCTG IBM production when purge output haze is below 1% visually. Korea Ever-Power recommends scheduling PCTG IBM production in dedicated blocks (full production day or longer) rather than intra-day changeovers with PP, to minimise total changeover volume, purge material waste, and temperature cycling wear on ZQ40 barrel components.
Vraag 05
Can PCTG IBM containers be hot-stamped or UV screen-printed for Korean export cosmetic packaging?
Yes — PCTG IBM containers accept both hot-stamp foil and UV screen printing for Korean export cosmetic packaging with appropriate surface energy preparation. PCTG natural surface energy is 40-42 mN/m (higher than PP at 30-32 mN/m, but below the 44-46 mN/m threshold required for standard cosmetic hot-stamp foil adhesion without pre-treatment). Corona treatment of PCTG IBM container surface: corona treatment at 44-46 mN/m raises PCTG surface energy above the foil adhesion threshold. PCTG’s amorphous copolyester surface accepts corona treatment more uniformly than semi-crystalline polymers, maintaining surface energy uniformity across the PCTG IBM container body for consistent foil adhesion. Hot-stamp options for PCTG IBM Korean cosmetic export: gold, silver and rose gold hot-stamp foils are the primary Korean export cosmetic decoration choices on PCTG IBM. Korea Ever-Power specifies corona pre-treatment as standard for PCTG IBM container decoration lines — either inline tunnel corona on the PCTG IBM output conveyor before hot-stamp, or stand-alone spot corona treatment at the hot-stamp machine infeed. UV screen printing on PCTG IBM: PCTG accepts UV-curable screen print inks with ISO 2409 cross-hatch adhesion of 0/5 after corona pre-treatment at 44-46 mN/m. Korean export cosmetic label information (ingredient list, volume, brand name in Korean, Chinese and English) is efficiently applied by UV screen print on PCTG IBM without the additional label stock cost of PSA labels, and without sleeve application logistics — making UV screen print the economically preferred decoration for Korean cosmetic export programmes at PCTG IBM volumes above 1M containers/year.
Vraag 06
How does Korea Ever-Power validate PCTG IBM clarity for new Korean cosmetic brand customers?
Korea Ever-Power’s PCTG IBM clarity validation protocol for new Korean cosmetic brand customers is a four-stage pre-delivery qualification process performed at Korea Ever-Power’s Ansan-si facility before IBM mould delivery. Stage 1 — PCTG resin selection: Korea Ever-Power produces trial IBM samples in Tritan TX1001, TX1001 MX711 and SK Chemicals PCTG 5445 on ZQ40 with the customer’s container specification geometry. Samples measured for ASTM D1003 haze and luminous transmittance — all three grades target below 1% haze; grade selection is confirmed based on customer’s resin supply preference (domestic SK Chemicals versus imported Tritan). Stage 2 — Chemical compatibility test: PCTG IBM trial samples filled with the customer’s proposed cosmetic formulation at 23°C for 30 days and 40°C for 7 days (accelerated stability). Haze, clarity and container dimensional stability measured before and after formulation contact to confirm PCTG IBM compatibility with the customer’s specific cosmetic formulation. Stage 3 — Neck fitment confirmation: trial IBM samples assembled with the customer’s pump or closure component to confirm neck OD, thread engagement and torque specification at ±0.05mm ZQ40 IBM tolerance. Stage 4 — Pre-delivery sample approval: Korea Ever-Power produces 1,000 piece pre-delivery PCTG IBM sample lot from the production mould for customer quality inspection, measuring haze (100 pieces sampled), weight variation (all 1,000), neck OD (100 pieces across all cavities), and formulation compatibility before mould acceptance sign-off. This validation process assures Korean cosmetic brand customers of PCTG IBM container quality before full production commitment on Korea Ever-Power ZQ40/ZQ60.
PCTG IBM ENQUIRY · KOREA EVER-POWER
Korea Ever-Power provides ZQ40 and ZQ60 IBM machines with PCTG IBM process expertise, Tritan and SK Chemicals PCTG IBM pre-validation, clarity qualification protocol and food contact compliance documentation for Korean and global PCTG cosmetic, food and medical device IBM programmes.
Redacteur: Cxm
IBM Farmaceutische Tabletfles · PP HDPE OTC RX · CRC Inductieafdichting · Korea…
IBM HAARVERZORGINGSFLES · PP PCTG SHAMPOO-CONDITIONER · K-BEAUTY OEM · KOREA EVER-POWER…
IBM-cyclustijd · ZQ-machineparameters · Koelingspauze · PP HDPE PCTG ·…
IBM MATRIJSSTAAL · H13 P20 S136 GEREEDSCHAP · HARDHEID POLIJSTBAARHEID · LEVENSDUUR ·…
IBM NEKAFWERKINGSSTANDAARDEN · GPI BPF PCO-SCHROEFDRAAD · CRC-PASSING · NEK BUITENDIAMETER…
IBM DESINFECTIEFLES · PP HDPE ANTISEPTICUM · HANDDESINFECTIEMIDDEL · ETHANOL · KOREA EVER-POWER…