Manufacturing Process of Nylon 6,6

Nylon 6,6 is made from Hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid as shown in the figure
below.
Spinning of Nylon 6,6
The chips of nylon polymer are fed through a hopper A, into a spinning vessel B, on an
electrically heated grid perforated plate! ". The perforations are so small that the chips
do not pass through, but when melted, the li#uid can pass.
The molten nylon collects as a pool $, at the bottom of the vessel. This li#uid should not
come into contact with oxygen or air and hence nitrogen is introduced into the vessel.
The molten polymer is %ept at a temperature of about &'' deg " and suc%ed by a pump (,
into a spinnerette ). The molten polymer solidifies as soon as it emerges out of the
spinnerette. The filament thus formed pass through a colloing *one, in which cold air +
circulates directed towards the filaments. The filaments are then passed through a steam
chamber H, to wet them before winding on the bobbin ,.
Drawing
Nylon filaments as obtained are not very strong. They have to tbe drawn -./ times their
original length. This is done by cold drawing. The yarn in pulled off from bobbin ,
through guides 0 and N, between a pair of rollers 1. The speed of rotation of these
rollers determines the initial speed. The yarn then goes over a deflector 2, and two to
three times around roller 3, running at five times the speed than that of 1. The yarn
subse#uently courses through another guide 4, and wound on another bobbin which
rotates at very high speed, to impart twist in the yarn before being wound.
Manufacturing Process of Nylon 6
Nylon 0anufactured in 5ndia at present is of this type. This is made from "aprolactum
which is made by a series of reactions using products obtained from coal tar
"oal Tar..6 Ben*ene.."hlorine..6 "hloroben*ene..6 7odium 2henate..H",..6 2henol..
H& Nic%el!..6"yclohexanol..1xidation Air (e, 8n "atalyst..6 "yclohexanone..6
"yclohexanone 1xime..H&71-..6 "aprolectum
Polymerisation
"aprolectum is a white fla%y solid, melting at 6' deg " and is soluble in water. the
polymerisation is carried out in stainless steel cylinders.
Hot "aprolectum is mixed with a suspension of pigment, acid promotor and acid chain
stopper. The extent of polymerisation depends upon the temperature of polymerisation.
The purpose of acid chain stopper is to stop furthur polymerisation so that a desired
density of molten polymer may be obtained.
The molten polymer is extruded into ribbons and cut into chips. These chips are used for
the production of continuous filaments.
Melt Spinning
"ontinuous filaments are made by melt spinning. $ry polymer chips are fed to a melt
spinning apparatus, wherein one section of the chips fall, into a melting region where
they are heated electrically to &9:.&6: deg ". The molten polymer flows into a conical
section to form a pool, which feeds a spinning pump and spinnerette. The pool is %ept
under an atmosphere of nitrogen to prevent decomposition by air.
The molten polymer leaving the pump is filtered before entering the spinnerette which is
a stainless steel disc having a number of holes, the number and diameter of which
determine the type of yarn formed. Before reaching the machine in which cheese is build
up, the filaments are moistened with water to ensure dimensional stability of the final
pac%ages.
The yarn thus formed is not strong enough and has a very high extensibility. the yarn
contains a large number of macro molecules which are unoriented and these must be
oriented so as to lie parallel to the length of the fibre to develop full strength. This is done
by stretching the yarn to ;.- times its original length.