Patent ID: 8557950

Claim:
A method for the production of solid polyester polymer particles comprising: (a) polycondensing a molten polyester polymer composition in the presence of at least one polycondensation catalyst composition comprising antimony species; (b) continuing the polycondensation of the molten polyester polymer composition to an intrinsic viscosity (It.V.) of 0.68 dL/g or more; (c) after reaching an intrinsic viscosity (It.V.) of 0.68 dL/g or more, adding at least one antimony catalyst stabilizer or deactivator to the polymer melt; and (d) after reaching an intrinsic viscosity (It.V.) of 0.68 dL/g or more, solidifying the melt into solid polyester polymer particles that do not contain organic acetaldehyde scavengers, wherein the intrinsic viscosity (It.V.) of the solid polyester polymer particles is increased in the solid state by 0.05 dL/g or less.