# Purified terephthalic acid

The white powder that, with MEG, makes all polyester fibre and PET bottles; China dominates and India is a large importer.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/

Commodity chemicals · Derivatives & intermediates · No. 40

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 85 Mt a year of demand (2025, indicative, basis: world PX demand of about 57 Mt at 0.66 t PX per t PTA; China capacity 87-88 Mt run at about 70-75%)
- 1.3 t CO₂e per t
- HS 291736
 Commodity chemicals · Derivatives & intermediates · Foundation · Matter

A plain white powder, made almost entirely in China, is the backbone of every polyester garment and PET bottle.

Chart: Illustration: Purified terephthalic acid

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Paraxylene is oxidised with air in acetic acid over a cobalt-manganese-bromide catalyst, then the crude acid is hydrogenated to strip out impurities that would colour the polymer.

##### Three things to know

1. Each tonne of polyester needs about 0.86 t of PTA, and 68% of PTA goes into polyester fibre.
2. Chinese processing fees were around CNY 200 a tonne in July to October 2025, which meant losses for many plants.
3. India's imports rose 9.1% to 1.95 Mt in January to November 2025 after a quality-control order blocking Chinese supply was revoked.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Paraxylene**About 0.66 t PX per tonne
2. 2 **Oxidation**Air, acetic acid, cobalt catalyst, 200 C
3. 3 **Purification**Hydrogenated over palladium to remove 4-CBA
4. 4 **Polymerisation**Joined with MEG into PET melt
5. 5 **End products**Yarn, staple fibre, bottle resin, film
 Covered in [How a chemical process works: reactions, separations, catalysts and flowsheetsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/how-chemical-processes-work/)[From building blocks to plastics, fibres and detergentsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/building-blocks-to-polymers/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/pta/links/index.md)