Abstract:
Caprolactam is obtained from caprolactam-containing polymers in the presence of superheated water by bringing polymers which contain the repeating unit--[--N(H)--(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --C(O)--]--or mixtures consisting essentially of______________________________________from 40 to 99.9% by weight of a polymer containing the repeat- ing unit --[--N(H)--(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --C(O)--]--,from 0.01 to 50% by weight of additives selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, organic and inorganic pigments and dyes,from 0 to 10% by weight of organic and/or inorganic additives,from 0 to 40% by weight of non-polyamide-containing polymers andfrom 0 to 60% by weight of polyamides, with the exception of polycaprolactam and copolyamides prepared from caprolactam,______________________________________into contact with superheated water at from 280.degree. to 320.degree. C. and from 7.5 to 15 MPa and a weight ratio of water to polymer containing the repeating unit --[--N(H)--(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --C(O)--]-- of from 5:1 to 13:1 and in a reaction time of less than 3 hours, with the proviso that the reaction mixture, consisting essentially of water and the polymer used or the mixture used, contains no gaseous phase under the conditions of the hydrolysis.
Abstract:
A process for the purification of caprolactam from crude caprolactam by distilling the crude caprolactam in the presence of an anorganic or organic acid.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of reacting polyamides or mixtures thereof with ammonia to obtain a mixture of monomers. The reaction is carried out in the presence of certain Lewis Acid catalyst precursors.
Abstract:
A process of using fast pyrolysis in a carrier gas to convert a polystyrene and polyphenylene oxide plastic waste to a given polystyrene and polyphenylene oxide prior to pyrolysis of other plastic components therein comprising:selecting a first temperature range to cause pyrolysis of given polystyrene and polyphenylene oxide and its high value monomeric constituent prior to a temperature range that causes pyrolysis of other plastic components;selecting a catalyst and a support and treating the feed stream with the catalyst to affect acid or base catalyzed reaction pathways to maximize yield or enhance separation of high value monomeric constituent of styrene from polystyrene and polyphenylene oxide in the first temperature range;differentially heating the feed stream at a heat rate within the first temperature range to provide differential pyrolysis for selective recovery of the high value monomeric constituent of styrene from polystyrene and polyphenylene oxide prior to pyrolysis of other plastic components;separating the high value monomer constituent of styrene;selecting a second higher temperature range to cause pyrolysis to a different derived high value product of polyphenylene oxide from the plastic waste and differentially heating the feed stream at the higher temperature range to cause pyrolysis of the plastic into a polyphenylene oxide derived product; andseparating the different derived high value polyphenylene oxide product.
Abstract:
A process for recovering caprolactam from oligomers and/or polymers of caprolactam comprises the following steps:a) treating oligomers and/or polymers of caprolactam with from 1 to 20 parts by weight of water per part by weight of oligomer or polymer at from 200.degree. to 350.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure with a residence time of from 0.5 to 10 hours to form an aqueous reaction mixture comprising polycaprolactam, monomeric caprolactam and oligomers thereof, andb) passing the aqueous reaction mixture obtained in a) into a fluidized bed of alumina at from 250.degree. to 400.degree. C. to obtain a mixture of steam and caprolactam.
Abstract:
A process of using fast pyrolysis to convert a plastic waste feed stream containing polycarbonate and ABS to high value monomeric constituents prior to pyrolysis of other plastic components therein comprising: selecting a first temperature program range to cause pyrolysis of a given polymer to its high value monomeric constituents prior to a temperature range that causes pyrolysis of other plastic components; selecting an acid or base catalysts and an oxide or carbonate support for treating the feed stream to affect acid or base catalyzed reaction pathways to maximize yield or enhance separation of the high value monomeric constituents of polycarbonate and ABS in the first temperature program range; differentially heating the feed stream at a heat rate within the first temperature program range to provide differential pyrolysis for selective recovery of optimum quantities of the high value monomeric constituents prior to pyrolysis or other plastic components; separating the high value monomeric constituents from the polycarbonate to cause pyrolysis to a different high value monomeric constituent of the plastic waste and differentially heating the feed stream at the second higher temperature program range to cause pyrolysis of different high value monomeric constituents; and separating the different high value monomeric constituents.
Abstract:
Caprolactam is obtained by cleaving oligomers of caprolactam by a process in which the oligomers, in a liquid or solid state, are introduced into a fluidized alumina bed and cleaved at from 290.degree. to 400.degree. C. in the presence of steam, and, in addition to the amount of inert gas required to fluidize the alumina bed, from 0.1 to 3 times this amount of inert gas is introduced above the fluidized bed.
Abstract:
This invention is the method to recover caprolactam from a concentrated nylon 6 chip wash water containing water, cyclic oligomer, and caprolactam. The method comprises feeding the concentrated wash water to a wiped-film evaporator operated at a temperature of from about 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. and a pressure from about 10 to about 250 Torr, thereby separating the wash water into (a) an overhead stream of water and caprolactam and (b) a bottom stream of caprolactam and cyclic oligomers, then recovering the caprolactam from the overhead stream. The caprolactam in the bottom stream can also be recovered, and the cyclic oligomers depolymerized to caprolactam for recovery.
Abstract:
A non-catalytic method is provided for depolymerizing nylon-6 to produce e-caprolactam. The nylon, as a melt is continuously fed to a reaction zone together with superheated steam and undecomposed polymer melt is continuously withdrawn from the reaction zone together with steam and polymer decomposition products. Caprolactam is recovered from the polymer decomposition products.
Abstract:
Continuous extraction of polylactam granules for the removal of monomers and/or oligomers therefrom by means of hot water flowing countercurrently in an extraction zone, which extraction zone is divided into subzones by at least one heating zone and the water is accelerated, at certain time intervals, cocurrently and countercurrently to the flow of granules.