PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM

Nylon salt is first prepared by mixing the amine and acid in aqueous solution and adjusting the pH to 7.8. The salt is concentrated under vacuum and then charged to an autoclave. Here the rest of the water is removed and the temperature gradually is raised to 280 oC to complete polymerization and remove water of condensation.

The final product with a molecular weight range of 12,000-16,000 is extruded as a ribbon onto chilling rolls, then to a chipper for producing small chips suitable for storage and rehandling.

When nylon fibers are produced, the chips are melted, metered through high pressure pumps, filtered and passed through a melt spinnerette. The extruded filaments harden immediately on air cooling and can be wound on bobbins at speeds of 750 meters per minute or higher. The thread is stretched to about 4 times its original length in cold drawing to give the desirable textile properties. Basic chemistry: Nylon-6,6

(a) Adipic acid: This is prepared by a two-step air oxidation of cyclohexane. Air C6H12 C6H11OH + C6H10O aq HNO3 80C HOOC.(CH2)4.COOH + xNO + yN2O (adipic acid)

(b) Hexamethylene diamine: This is prepared by two-step hydrogen under low & high pressure dimerization. H2 2CH2 = CHCN (acrylonitrile) Dimerization NC(CH2)4.CN low pressure (adiponitrile) high pressure H2 + NH3 H2N(CH2)6 NH2 (hexamethylene diamine)

(c) 6,6 Nylon: O xHOOC.(CH2)4.COOH + xH2N(CH2)6 NH2 O

(-C(CH2)4.C.NH.(CH2)6.NH-)x polyhexamethylene adipimide (or) 6,6-Nylon