New catalytic process completely breaks down nylon-6 in minutes

Nylon in fishing net

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US chemists report the mildest conditions to date for Nylon-6 depolymerisation, recovering 99% of the original monomers in the plastic

new catalytic process can completely breaks down nylon-6 in just minutes  without generating harmful byproducts or requiring toxic solvents. The metallocene catalytic system, which is based on earth-abundant early transition and lanthanide metals, depolymerises the material at unprecedented rates.

Using this catalyst, the team was able to recover 99% of the nylon-6’s monomers, which could then be upcycled into higher-value products. The system is also highly selective and only acts on nylon-6. Consequently, the researchers suggest that it could be applied to large volumes of unsorted waste.

This new system is also greener than other catalysts that have previously been investigated, which rely on high temperatures, high-pressure steam or toxic solvents.