Nylon

• It refers to a type of polymer

• Nylon is a thermoplastic silky material that can be melt-processed
into fibres, films or shapes.
• Commercially, nylon polymer is made by reacting monomers which
are either lactams, acid/amines or stoichiometric mixtures of
diamines (-NH2) and diacids (-COOH). Mixtures of these can be
polymerized together to make copolymers.
• Can be described as a ubiquitous polymer.
More about Nylon
• Properties
1. Very strong and elastic.
2. Easy to wash.
3. Dries quickly and retains its shape rather well after laundering.
4. Very responsive and resilient as well as relatively resistant to
heat, UV rays and chemicals.
Application of Adipic Acid &
Nylon
Adipic acid
• Used as a monomer product to make nylon through a process called
polycondensation. ( Uses hexamethylene diamine ).
• Also being used to produced polyurethane.
• Its esters are plasticizers which usually refers PVC.
Medicine (adipic cont.)
• Its has been incorporated into controlled-release formulation matrix
tablets to obtain pH-independent release for both weakly basic and
weakly acidic drugs.
• It has also been incorporated into the polymeric coating
of hydrophilic monolithic systems to modulate the integral of pH,
resulting in zero-order release of a hydrophilic drug.
• The intention of obtaining a late-burst release profile.
• Improvement the disintegration at intestinal pH of the enteric
polymer shellac.
Food industry ( adipic cont. )
• Used to adjust the pH (acidity) of foods. It may also be used as a
starch modifying agent, allowing it to withstand heat and freezing.
• Used as a food ingredient as a flavorant and gelling aid.
• Also used as an acidulate in baking powders, it avoids the
undesirable hygroscopic properties of tartaric acid.Adipic acid, rare in
nature, does occur naturally in beets
Nylon ( Nylon 66 )
• Usually used when a high mechanical strength, rigidity, good stability
under heat and/or chemical resistance are required.
• It is commonly used in textiles
• It is used to make airbags, luggage, apparel, and for carpet fibres.
• Also used to make 3D structural objects. ( ball bearing cages, electro-
insulating elements, pipes, profiles, various machine parts, zip ties,
conveyor belts, hoses, polymer framed weapons )
• Phosphorus-based flame retardant systems are used in these fire-safe
polymers and are based on aluminium diethyl phosphinate and
synergists.
Environmental Issue of Adipic Acid & Nylon
• The production of adipic acid is linked to emissions of N2O and it can
cause of stratospheric ozone depletion.
• Nylon is not biodegradable, and will persist in the environment
indefinitely.
• Nylon is also not suited to natural dyes and lowest impact chemical
dyes, meaning that the process of colouring the fiber also creates
significant water pollution.
• With more nylon being produces in countries with weaker
environmental protections in place, this make nylon a significant
contributor to water pollution,