Organic scientists from Yamaguchi University in Ube, Japan, Akira Kamimura and Shigehiro Yamamoto have developed a process that depolymerizes nylon-6 and regenerates caprolactam at intermediate temperature of 300oC.
They found that yield of caprolactam could reach 86%, when placing chips of nylon-6 and small amount of catalyst in an ionic liquids (consist of positively and negatively charged ions) at 300oC.
Currently, thousands of tons of nylon-6, as artificial polymer used in carpets, clothing and car parts, end up in landfills, because incinerating the nylon-6 in mixed trash can create prodigious amount of toxic compounds. To read more about nylon-6 de-polymerization, click this.
Nylon-6 digunakan untuk pembuatan karpet, baju dan bagian dari mobil.