Patent ID: 7935399

Claim:
A bulk of polymer particles comprising polyethylene terephthalate polymers modified with 20% or less modifiers, the particles comprising greater than 75% virgin polyester polymer, the particles having: A) an It.V. of at least 0.72 dl/g, and B) 3 ppm or less of residual acetaldehyde, and C) at least two melting peaks, wherein one of said at least two melting peaks is a low peak melting point having a peak temperature within a range of 140° C. to 190° C. and having a melting endotherm area of at least the absolute value of 2 J/g, and wherein the particles have a degree of crystallinity within a range of 20% and a maximum degree of crystallinity T cmax defined by the equation: T cmax =50%− CA−OH where CA is the total mole % of all carboxylic acid residues other than terephthalic acid residues, based on 100 mole % of carboxylic acid residues, and OH is the total mole % of all hydroxyl functional compound residues other than ethylene glycol residues, based on 100 mole % of hydroxyl functional compounds residues; and wherein the particles are obtained by underwater pelletizing at a die head said polyethylene terephthalate polymers.