ADIPIC ACID &

NYLON
BY :
SITI NURSYUHADAH BT JERAGAN MUSTAFAH
ZURHAFEFEE BT ZABIDI
WAN NORFARHANA BT WAN MANSOR
 PROPERTIES OF
ADIPIC ACID & NYLON 6,6
Adipic Acid

Chemical formula C6H10O4

Other names Hexane-1,6-dicarboxylic acid, Hexane-1,6-
dioic acid, 1,4-butanedicarboxylic acid
Appearance White crystals, monoclinic prisms
Density 1.360 g/cm3
Melting point 152.1°C
Boiling point 337.5°C
Odor Odorless
Physical properties of nylon 6,6
 Has a repeat unit with molecular weight of is 226.32
g/mol and crystalline density of 1.24 g/(cm)^3 .
 Has long molecular chains resulting in more hydrogen
bonds , creating chemical springs and making it very
resilient .
 Nylon 6,6 is an amorphous solid (type of solid that lacks
definition in shape, pattern and long-range order) so it
has a large elastic property and is slightly soluble in
boiling water .
 Very stable in nature.
 Nylon 6,6 is very difficult to dye but once it is dyed it has
a high colorfastness and is less susceptible to fading .
 Its chemical properties does not allow it to be affected
by solvents such as water , alcohol etc .
Chemical properties of nylon 6,6
PROCESS OF NYLON 6,6
PRODUCTION
REACTION
Condensation polymerization process
Feed system diagram
 Hopper system is used to feed solid Hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) to a
heated vessel where it is melted and further heated to 325K

 Adipic acid (ADA) cannot be melted while pure due to its high melting point
and associated explosion hazards

 To address these issues, ADA is fed through an identical hopper system to a

heated vessel filled with boiling water where it can fully dissolve.
Process Flow Diagram
 Both feed streams are pressurized from 1 to 10 atm, and heated to 450K before
being mixed and fed to reactor 1.
 Reactor 1 (R1) facilitates the first stage of the polymerization reaction where the
nylon salt solution reacts to form short nylon chains
 The nylon solution from reactor 1 is fed to a heated flash drum (FLASH 1) where it
is flashed at 600K and 1atm
 The resulting liquid stream is rich in low molecular weight nylon with trace
concentrations of ADA and HDMA, and is fed to the three CSTR reactors (R2A,
R2B, R2C).
 The flashing process removes most of the water from the liquid nylon, resulting in
additional reactions to form higher molecular weight nylon.
Why use 3 CSTR instead of 1?

 Allows for the simultaneous production of nylon product streams with different
molecular weights
 Molecular weight is function of CSTR residence time, thus differing weights of
nylon could be produce by altering the feed rate to each reactor
 Flexible and versatile
 For example if low molecular weight nylon demand dropped, the overall
production rate and flow rates to each reactor could be altered so that low
molecular weight nylon could be produced in two of the reactors for existing
customers while the third reactor could be used for the manufacture of more
lucrative high molecular weight nylon.
Catalyst

 This reaction doesn’t need a catalyst because acid do catalyse the

reaction, and one of the monomers itself is an acid.
Advantages & Disadvantages of
nylon 6,6
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

1. Excellent abrasion resistance and 1. Relatively difficult to process

a high melting point . due to exceptionally low melt
viscosity.
2. High tensile strength and exhibits
only half of shrinkage in steam . 2. Post mould shrinkage.

3. It also provides a very good 3. Weathering can cause colour

resistance to photo degradation . change and embrittlement
unless suitably stabilised.
4. Reduces moisture sensitivity in raw
products and has a high
dimensional stability and melting
point .
Nylon 66 provides high tensile strength for
 Tough fibers at fine deniers,
 Excellent performance for tyre applications, and
 High-speed mill processing.
Excellent abrasion resistance makes nylon-66 polymer ideal for
use in
 Carpets,
 Upholstery, and
 Conveyor belts.
Application
of Nylon 6,6
 Because Nylon is a light material , it is used in parachutes .
 Nylon 6,6 is waterproof in nature so it is also used to make
swimwear.
 Nylon 6,6 having a high melting point make it more resistant to
heat and friction so it is suitable to be used in in airports ,
offices and other places which are more liable to wear and
tear
 Nylon 6,6 being waterproof in nature is used to make machine
parts.
 It is also used in the following like airbags , carpets , ropes .
hoses etc .
SAFETY MEASURE
HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
 Eye : Mechanical Irritation with rearing, pain or blurred vision may results.
 Skin Contact: Molten Nylon causes thermal burns.
 Inhalation : Nylon 6,6 is not respirable.
 Ingestion : Not a probable routes of exposure.
FIRST AID MEASURES

 Eyes : Flush eyes with plenty of water and seek medical attention.
 Skin contact : The compound is not likely to be hazardous by skin contact
but cleansing the skin after use is advisable. If molten polymer gets on skin,
cool rapidly with cold water. Do not attempt to peel polymer from skin.
Obtain medical treatment for thermal burn.
 Inhalation : No specific intervention is indicated as the compound is not
likely to be hazardous by inhalation. If exposed to fumes from overheating
or combustion material, move to fresh air.
FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES

 Dust generated from this product may form a flammable dust-air

mixture and may cause dust explosion.
 Keep away from source of ignition.
 Hazardous gases produced in fire are ammonia, carbon monoxide,
traces of hydrogen cyanide, and aldehydes.
 Extinguishing media : Water, Foam, Dry Chemical, CO2
WASTE DISPOSAL

 Preferred options for disposal are :

1) recycling
2) incineration with energy recovery
3) landfill
 The high energy value of this product makes option 2 (incineration) very
desirable
 Incinerator must be capable of scrubbing out acidic combustion
products.
 Treatment, storage, and disposal must be in accordance with
regulations.
Nylon recycling process
ENVIROMENTAL CONCERN

 The process of manufacturing nylon releases nitrous oxides into the

atmosphere. Nitrous oxides is a greenhouse gas and contribute to
destruction of ozone.
 Nylon 66 is very resistant to decomposition because of its tight network
of carbon atoms. It can spend years in a landfill before it even begins
to break down.
 If burned, nylon form hazardous smoke containing ammonia, carbon
monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and aldehydes.
SUSTAINABILITY

 Why nylon is sustained :

1) Nylon is recyclable
2) It is safe to use
3) Safe resources – replace wool and silk

 How to make it sustain:

1) Recycling to further enhancing nylon sustainability
2) R&D to make nylon more biodegradable