| Title |
Redesigned Nylon 6 Variants with Enhanced Recyclability, Ductility, and Transparency |
| ID_Doc |
18454 |
| Authors |
Tian, JJ; Liu, XY; Ye, LW; Zhang, Z; Quinn, EC; Shi, CX; Broadbelt, LJ; Marks, TJ; Chen, EYX |
| Title |
Redesigned Nylon 6 Variants with Enhanced Recyclability, Ductility, and Transparency |
| Year |
2024 |
| Published |
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 63.0, 17 |
| DOI |
10.1002/anie.202320214 |
| Abstract |
Geminal (gem-) disubstitution in heterocyclic monomers is an effective strategy to enhance polymer chemical recyclability by lowering their ceiling temperatures. However, the effects of specific substitution patterns on the monomer's reactivity and the resulting polymer's properties are largely unexplored. Here we show that, by systematically installing gem-dimethyl groups onto epsilon-caprolactam (monomer of nylon 6) from the alpha to epsilon positions, both the redesigned lactam monomer's reactivity and the resulting gem-nylon 6's properties are highly sensitive to the substitution position, with the monomers ranging from non-polymerizable to polymerizable and the gem-nylon properties ranging from inferior to far superior to the parent nylon 6. Remarkably, the nylon 6 with the gem-dimethyls substituted at the gamma position is amorphous and optically transparent, with a higher Tg (by 30 degrees C), yield stress (by 1.5 MPa), ductility (by 3x), and lower depolymerization temperature (by 60 degrees C) than conventional nylon 6. Geminal disubstitution on epsilon-caprolactam (nylon 6's monomer) at different positions greatly modulates lactam monomer's reactivity and gem-nylon's performance properties, with dimethylation at the gamma position yielding the most intriguing nylon that exhibits a combination of desired properties including enhanced chemical recyclability, mechanical ductility, and optical clarity, compared to commercial nylon 6. image |
| Author Keywords |
chemical recycling; nylon 6; monomer design; geminal disubstitution; transparent nylon |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:001185244700001 |
| WoS Category |
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary |
| Research Area |
Chemistry |
| PDF |
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202320214
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