Cray Valley conducted research to determine the effect of anhydride functional additives on reprocessed recycled nylon. The specialty chemical manufacturer also tested the nylon, derived from consumer carpeting, to see if it was possible to impart value added properties to the material while maintaining a low budget. This presentation reviews the processes they used and the test results.

1. The Value in Recycled Polyamides
Polyfunc)onal
Chain
Extenders

2. Overview
• Background
- Industry, Materials, Technical Objectives
• Technical Data
- Rheological Analysis
- Mechanical Analysis
• Conclusion & Recommendation
- Discussion, Product Comparisons
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3. Background - Industry Objectives
• “Developing market-based solutions for the recycling and
reuse of post-consumer carpet” – Carpet America Recovery Effort slogan
• Voluntary initiative by industry/government to prevent
burdening landfills
• Plan to achieve 40% landfill diversion by 2012
• 2002 diversion goal, 178 million pounds (3.8%)
• 1.3 billion pounds diverted since 2002, 92% of which has gone into
other value added products
• Estimated 5 billion pounds landfilled, annually
• 5 billion pounds can support the NA injection molding market
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4. Background – Materials, Availability
*Courtesy of Phantom Plastics
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5. Background - Value-Added Process
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6. Background - Limiting Factor
Added Value
Degradation
Recycled Recycled
Virgin Fiber Virgin Fiber
Injection Injection
Specifications Specifications
Nylon Nylon
Grade Grade
Molding Molding
Mechanical Mechanical
1 Low
2 Med
3 High
Properties Properties
Molecular Molecular
1 Low
2 Med
3 High
Weight Weight
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7. Technical Objectives
• Objective #1:
Improve the mechanical properties of reprocessed
recycled nylon derived from carpet using a functional
additive
• Objective #2:
Impart value added properties to recycled nylon that
stay within a low cost model
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8. Theory - Recycled Nylon
5. Chain Extended
FA FA FA
1. Dry Blending
FA
4. Reaction
FA
FA
3. Homogenizing
2. Melt Processing
Low Mw High Mw
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9. Materials
• Yan et al. documented the importance of
diffusion of reactive species
• Hargreaves et al. described the reaction
between amino group and anhydride
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10. Materials
Model Formulation
• 98 to 99% r-PA (N66, >95% purity)
• 1 to 2% Chain Extender*
* LPBD were prepared on a porous
silica at 70% active
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11. Results
• Grafted MA yielded more chain extension reactions
• Low viscosity LBPD likely integrated more efficiently
• Mobility of low Mw SMA led to shorter induction times
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12. Optimization Results
• Low shear viscosity attributed to increased branched structure
• Increased long chain branching or MWD
• Reactivity of graft versus in-chain anhydride
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13. Results
• SMA improved mechanical properties more than LPBD
• Homogenization an important factor in additive selection
• Chain extended r-PA has properties encroaching on virgin PA
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14. Results
• Thermal characteristic improved with low/high Tg additive
• Extent of branching suggested by improvement in HDT
• SMA more efficient at restoring properties of r-PA
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15. Conclusion
• Significant improvements in r-PA using low molecular
weight anhydride functional additives
• Anhydride grafted LPBD gave the greatest extent of
reaction as shown by increased melt characteristics
• Low molecular weight additives were deemed more
beneficial due to increased mobility in the melt
• Homogenizing the melt involved balance of reactivity and
mobility
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16. Cray Valley HSC
• Leading global supplier of hydrocarbon resins, diene-
based resins, and specialty monomers
- Wingtack® and Norsolene® (C5 & C9 tackifiers)
- Poly bd®, KrasolTM and Ricon® (low molecular weight liquid
polybutadiene resins)
- SMA® (styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer resins)
- DymalinkTM (metal centered monomers)
• Annual sales over $350 million and has more than 340
employees worldwide
• Company’s more than 250 products are manufactured at
9 sites in 4 countries
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17. Cray Valley HSC
A Division of Total SA
Upstream
Downstream
Chemicals
• Oil & gas exploration
• Trading & shipping
• Base chemicals
• Production
• Refining & marketing
• Industrial & consumer
Focus
• Gas & power
• Commodity & specialty market specialty
• Alternative energy
fluids
chemicals
Sales
$24.6
$163.4
$23.2
(billion)
Employees
17,192
32,631
41,658
Total, a partner in your challenges
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18. Cray Valley HSC
Focus Markets
• Performance • Pressure • Printed
Growth Markets
additives
sensitive
circuit
boards
Adhesives
Rubber
• Tire & hose • Reactive
applications
adhesives
• Pigment
Dispersants
• Co-curing • Insulated
agents
Glass • Mineral
Sealants
Dispersants
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19. Cray Valley HSC
Global Presence
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• For additional information about Cray Valley, its products
or its work in Hydrocarbon Specialty Chemicals,
visit www.CVPolymerAdditives.com
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