PROCESS FOR DEPOLYMERIZING NYLON-CONTAINING WASTE TO FORM CAPROLACTAM BY SUPERHEATED STEAM IN THE ABSENCE OF CATALYSTS

摘要

The present invention provides an efficient process for the recovery of caprolactam from polycaprolactam-containing waste material. The present process for depolymerizing multi-component waste material comprising polycaprolactam and non-polycaprolactam components to form caprolactam comprises the step of: in the absence of added catalyst, contacting the multicomponent waste material with superheated steam at a temperature of about 250 ~C to about 400 ~C and at a pressure within the range of about 1 atm to about 100 atm and substantially less than the saturated vapor pressure of water at the temperature wherein a caprolactam-containing vapor stream is formed. The formed caprolactam may then be used in the production of engineered resins and fibers.