Processing nylons

Low viscosity, high pickup coning oil for use on nylon processed at moderate speeds. 

Organic yellow, Bayplast Yellow G Y-5680 (Bayer), exhibits a unique spectral curve with heat stability and light fastness. It can be used with most thermoplastics, including polycarbonate and nylon (processing temperatures up to 32()°C have been obtained). Cerdec s chrome titanate yellow is also recommended for engineering plastics, because of its above-average heat stability. 

Nozzle designs with positive shut-off devices have been successfully used. The gas must be free to escape through the nozzle. Material freeze off in the nozzle or malfunction of the positive shut-off device could develop pressure to cause blow-back of the material through the feed zone and hopper or create hazardous conditions. In such cases, conventional free flow and reverse taper type fitted with a heater band for temperature control of the nozzle prevents nozzle drool or freeze off of the material and is used and in nylon processing. Sprue cutter is associated with the nozzle to help the process. A nozzle forms a seal between the injection system and the mold. 

Benzene was first isolated by Faraday in 1825 from the liquid condensed by compressing oil gas. It is the lightest fraction obtained from the distillation of the coal-tar hydrocarbons, but most benzene is now manufactured from suitable petroleum fractions by dehydrogenation (54%) and dealkylation processes. Its principal industrial use is as a starting point for other chemicals, particularly ethylbenzene, cumene, cyclohexane, styrene (45%), phenol (20%), and Nylon (17%) precursors. U.S. production 1979 2-6 B gals. 

Nylon 6 and 6/6 possess the maximum stiffness, strength, and heat resistance of all the types of nylon. Type 6/6 has a higher melt temperature, whereas type 6 has a higher impact resistance and better processibility. At a sacrifice in stiffness and heat resistance, the higher analogs of nylon are useful primarily for improved chemical resistance in certain environments (acids, bases, and zinc chloride solutions) and for lower moisture absorption. 

Adiponitnle (hexanedinitnle, dicyanobutane, ADN), NC(CH2)4CN, is manufactured principally for use as an intermediate for hexamethylenediarnine (1,6-diaminohexane), which is a principal ingredient for nylon-6,6. However, in 1996, BASF aimounced the development of a process to make caprolactam from adiponitrile (44,45). Caprolactam is used to produce nylon-6. The implementation of this technology could increase the demand for adiponitrile dramatically. 

Uses. The principal use of adiponitrile is for hydrogenation to hexamethylene diamine leading to nylon-6,6. However, as a result of BASE s new adiponitrile-to-caprolactam process, a significant fraction of ADN produced may find its way into nylon-6 production. Adipoquanamine, which is prepared by the reaction of adiponitrile with dicyandiamide [461-58-5] (cyanoguanidine), may have uses in melamine—urea amino resins (qv) (see "Benzonitrile, Uses"). Its typical Hquid nitrile properties suggest its use as an extractant for aromatic hydrocarbons. 

Since adipic acid has been produced in commercial quantities for almost 50 years, it is not surprising that many variations and improvements have been made to the basic cyclohexane process. In general, however, the commercially important processes stiU employ two major reaction stages. The first reaction stage is the production of the intermediates cyclohexanone [108-94-1] and cyclohexanol [108-93-0], usuaHy abbreviated as KA, KA oil, ol-one, or anone-anol. The KA (ketone, alcohol), after separation from unreacted cyclohexane (which is recycled) and reaction by-products, is then converted to adipic acid by oxidation with nitric acid. An important alternative to this use of KA is its use as an intermediate in the manufacture of caprolactam, the monomer for production of nylon-6 [25038-54-4]. The latter use of KA predominates by a substantial margin on a worldwide basis, but not in the United States. 

Caprolactam Extraction. A high degree of purification is necessary for fiber-grade caprolactam, the monomer for nylon-6 (see Polyamides). Cmde aqueous caprolactam is purified by solvent extractions using aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene as the solvent (233). Many of the well-known types of column contactors have been used a detailed description of the process is available (234). 

Rayon is unique among the mass produced man-made fibers because it is the only one to use a natural polymer (cellulose) directly. Polyesters, nylons, polyolefins, and acryflcs all come indirectly from vegetation they come from the polymerization of monomers obtained from reserves of fossil fuels, which in turn were formed by the incomplete biodegradation of vegetation that grew millions of years ago. The extraction of these nonrenewable reserves and the resulting return to the atmosphere of the carbon dioxide from which they were made is one of the most important environmental issues of current times. CeUulosic fibers therefore have much to recommend them provided that the processes used to make them have minimal environmental impact. 

The film tube is collapsed within a V-shaped frame of rollers and is nipped at the end of the frame to trap the air within the bubble. The nip roUs also draw the film away from the die. The draw rate is controlled to balance the physical properties with the transverse properties achieved by the blow draw ratio. The tube may be wound as such or may be sHt and wound as a single-film layer onto one or more roUs. The tube may also be direcdy processed into bags. The blown film method is used principally to produce polyethylene film. It has occasionally been used for polypropylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate), vinyls, nylon, and other polymers. 

Nylon films are used in lamination or coated form to ensure heat sealabiHty and enhance barrier properties. The largest uses are as thermoforming webs for twin-web processed meat and cheese packagiag under vacuum or in an inert atmosphere. Other uses include bags for red meat, boil-ia-bags, bag-in-box for wine, and as the outer protective layer for aluminum foil in cookie and vacuum coffee packages. 

Some heavier gauge flexible materials, usually containing nylon, are thermoformed, ie, heated and formed into three-dimensional shapes. Such stmctures are used to provide high gas-barrier, heat-sealable containment for processed meat or cheese. 

A rack and frame press uses heavy nylon cloth positioned in a wooden frame inside a rack. A measured amount of apple or other fmit mash is added from a hopper above the frame. The mash is leveled with a hand trowel and the edges of the nylon cloth are folded over the mash to encase it and create a cheese. The frame is removed, and a second rack is placed on top of the first cheese the process is repeated until a stack of cheeses is prepared. A hydrauhc ram then appHes gradually increa sing pressure on the stack and expresses the juice. A high yield of juice (80%) is obtained and no press aid is required. Because this process is labor intensive (17), it is mostly used for small farm and pilot-plant operations. 

Cyclohexane. The LPO of cyclohexane [110-82-7] suppUes much of the raw materials needed for nylon-6 and nylon-6,6 production. Cyclohexanol (A) and cyclohexanone (K) maybe produced selectively by using alow conversion process with multiple stages (228—232). The reasons for low conversion and multiple stages (an approach to plug-flow operation) are apparent from Eigure 2. Several catalysts have been reported. The selectivity to A as well as the overall process efficiency can be improved by using boric acid (2,232,233). K/A mixtures are usually oxidized by nitric acid in a second step to adipic acid (233) (see Cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone). 

Almost all of the cyclohexane that is produced in concentrated form is used as a raw material in the first step of nylon-6 and nylon-6,6 manufacture. Cyclohexane also is an excellent solvent for cellulose ethers, resins, waxes (qv), fats, oils, bitumen, and mbber (see Cellulose ethers Resins, natural Fats AND FATTY OILS Rubber, NATURAL). When used as a solvent, it usually is in admixture with other hydrocarbons. However, a small amount is used as a reaction diluent in polymer processes. 

In a rotary kiln, the burner can produce both thermal and fuel NO, if the fuel contains nitrogen. Many soHd waste streams also contain nitrogen, typically as much as 20 wt %, which contributes to the fuel NO pathway. Key sources of soHd waste fuel nitrogen include plastics, nylons, dyes, and other process wastes. Nylon, for example, is 33 wt % nitrogen. 

Enzymatic hydrolysis is also used for the preparation of L-amino acids. Racemic D- and L-amino acids and their acyl-derivatives obtained chemically can be resolved enzymatically to yield their natural L-forms. Aminoacylases such as that from Pispergillus OTj e specifically hydrolyze L-enantiomers of acyl-DL-amino acids. The resulting L-amino acid can be separated readily from the unchanged acyl-D form which is racemized and subjected to further hydrolysis. Several L-amino acids, eg, methionine [63-68-3], phenylalanine [63-91-2], tryptophan [73-22-3], and valine [72-18-4] have been manufactured by this process in Japan and production costs have been reduced by 40% through the appHcation of immobilized cell technology (75). Cyclohexane chloride, which is a by-product in nylon manufacture, is chemically converted to DL-amino-S-caprolactam [105-60-2] (23) which is resolved and/or racemized to (24)... 

Membrane Sep r tion. The separation of components ofhquid milk products can be accompHshed with semipermeable membranes by either ultrafiltration (qv) or hyperfiltration, also called reverse osmosis (qv) (30). With ultrafiltration (UF) the membrane selectively prevents the passage of large molecules such as protein. In reverse osmosis (RO) different small, low molecular weight molecules are separated. Both procedures require that pressure be maintained and that the energy needed is a cost item. The materials from which the membranes are made are similar for both processes and include cellulose acetate, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyHdene diduoride), nylon, and polyamide (see AFembrane technology). Membranes are commonly used for the concentration of whey and milk for cheesemaking (31). For example, membranes with 100 and 200 p.m are used to obtain a 4 1 reduction of skimmed milk. 

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