Degradation of Nylon-6 By Glycolysis. Part 1: Identification of Degradation Products

Abstract Glycolysis of nylon-6, in the presence of phosphoric acid at 250°CC, leads to a mixture of low molecular weight compounds. HPLC analysis combined with 1H-NMR and mass spectroscopy showed that the main degradation products were ethylene glycol derivatives of caprolactam and linear oligomers. No cyclic oligomers were found. Two types of linear oligomers were found i. e. with free carboxylic acid endgroups and with the carboxylic acid endgroups esterified with ethylene glycol.