Basf Corporation

Edward A Davis

Jack A Dellinger

Thomas F Corbin

Richard Kotek

Alan C Handermann

William D Porter

.epsilon.-Caprolactam is continuously recovered from carpet made from nylon 6 face fibers and a backing. The carpet is fed to a separator to prepare scrap containing nylon 6 and auxiliary materials. The scrap from the separator is fed to a depolymerizing reactor to produce an .epsilon.-caprolactam containing distillate and more auxiliary materials. The .epsilon.-caprolactam in the distillate is separated from other volatiles and purified. The auxiliary materials are also recovered or re-used.

Reclaiming epsilon-caprolactam from nylon 6 carpet

A process for recovering caprolactam from waste containing both polycaprolactam and materials which are insoluble in acidic solvents for polycaprolactam includes agitating the waste in an acidic solvent capable of dissolving polycaprolactam without degrading the acid insoluble materials, separating the solution containing polycaprolactam from the acid insoluble materials, feeding the solution containing the polycaprolactam to a depolymerization reactor, without substantially precipitating the polycaprolactam and depolymerizing the polycaprolactam solution to obtain substantially pure caprolactam.

Method of recovering caprolactam from mixed waste

A process for the continuous recovery of .epsilon.-caprolactam provides a carpet made from nylon 6 fibers and having a backing to a separator to prepare scrap containing nylon 6 and waste. The scrap from the separator is fed to a depolymerizing reactor where the scrap is subjected to a depolymerization catalyst, temperatures of at least the melting point of nylon 6 and superheated steam to produce an .epsilon.-caprolactam containing distillate and more waste. The .epsilon.-caprolactam in the distillate is separated from other volatiles therein; and purified.

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Candler, NC, United States of America

Edward A Davis