It is a common misconception that all PET is the same. Structural PET foam is a specially formulated, high-crystallinity polymer, fundamentally distinct from bottle-grade PET. Standard building-grade PET foam can operate continuously from -40°C up to +100°C, and withstand short-term processing temperatures up to 150°C. Advanced high-heat grades can tolerate 180°C, making them compatible with prepreg curing cycles or high-temperature paint lines. This thermal headroom is critical for a building envelope material that must withstand solar radiation-induced surface temperatures without creeping or softening.

