Nylon 12 is a nylon polymer with the formula CH₂)₁₁C(O)NHsub>n. It is made from ω-aminolauric acid or laurolactam monomers that each have 12 carbons, hence the name ‘Nylon 12’. It is one of several

nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...

polymers.

Synthesis

Nylon 12 can be produced through two routes. The first being

polycondensation In polymer chemistry, condensation polymers are any kind of polymers whose process of polymerization involves a condensation reaction (i.e. a small molecule, such as water or methanol, is produced as a byproduct). Natural proteins as well as s ...

of ω-aminolauric acid, a

bifunctional In chemistry, bifunctionality or difunctionality is the presence of two functional groups in a molecule. A bifunctional species has the properties of each of the two types of functional groups, such as an alcohol (), amide (), aldehyde (), nitrile ...

monomer A monomer ( ; ''mono-'', "one" + '' -mer'', "part") is a molecule that can react together with other monomer molecules to form a larger polymer chain or two- or three-dimensional network in a process called polymerization. Classification Chemis ...

with one

amine In chemistry, amines (, ) are organic compounds that contain carbon-nitrogen bonds. Amines are formed when one or more hydrogen atoms in ammonia are replaced by alkyl or aryl groups. The nitrogen atom in an amine possesses a lone pair of elec ...

and one

carboxylic acid In organic chemistry, a carboxylic acid is an organic acid that contains a carboxyl group () attached to an Substituent, R-group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is often written as or , sometimes as with R referring to an organyl ...

group. n H₂N(CH₂)₁₁CO₂H → CH₂)₁₁CONHsub>n + n H₂O The second route is

ring-opening polymerization In polymer chemistry, ring-opening polymerization (ROP) is a form of chain-growth polymerization in which the terminus of a polymer chain attacks cyclic monomers to form a longer polymer (see figure). The reactive center can be radical, anion ...

of laurolactam at 260–300 °C. Ring opening can be carried out by cationic or anionic initiators, although cationic initiators have not been used commercially due to the product being less stable and

oxidized Redox ( , , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is ...

relatively quickly in comparison to those produced by activated anionic polymerization (monomer casting). Ring-opening polymerization is the preferred route for commercial production. :n CH₂)₁₁CONH → CH₂)₁₁CONHsub>n

Properties

Nylon 12 exhibits properties between short chain aliphatic nylons (e.g.,

nylon 6 Nylon 6 or polycaprolactam is a polymer, in particular semicrystalline polyamide. Unlike most other nylons, nylon 6 is not a condensation polymer, but instead is formed by ring-opening polymerization; this makes it a special case in the compari ...

and

nylon 66 Nylon 66 (loosely written nylon 6-6, nylon 6/6, nylon 6,6, or nylon 6:6) is a type of polyamide or nylon. It, and nylon 6, are the two most common for textile and plastic industries. Nylon 66 is made of two monomers each containing six carbon at ...

) and

polyolefin A polyolefin is a type of polymer with the general formula (CH2CHR)n where R is an alkyl group. They are usually derived from a small set of simple olefins (alkenes). Dominant in a commercial sense are polyethylene and polypropylene. More speciali ...

s. At 178–180 °C, the melting point of nylon 12 is the lowest among the important

polyamide A polyamide is a polymer with repeating units linked by amide bonds. Polyamides occur both naturally and artificially. Examples of naturally occurring polyamides are proteins, such as wool and silk. Artificially made polyamides can be made throug ...

s. Its mechanical properties, such as hardness, tensile strength, and resistance to abrasion, are similar to those of nylon 6 and nylon 66. Low water absorption and density, 1.01 g/mL, result from its relatively long hydrocarbon chain length, which also confers it dimensional stability and an almost

paraffin Paraffin may refer to: Substances * Paraffin wax, a white or colorless soft solid (also in liquid form) that is used as a lubricant and for other applications * Liquid paraffin (drug), a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and for med ...

-like structure. Nylon 12 is also chemical resistant and insensitive to stress cracking.

Applications

Nylon 12 has a broad range of applications as polyamide additives. Nylon 12 is mainly used for films for packing material in the food industry and sterilized films and bags for use in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. When added to

polyethylene Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including bott ...

films, it improves water vapor permeability and aroma impermeability. It is also prepared as sheets and sintered powder for coating metals. In the electronics field, it is used for covering cables and insulating material, while in the automobile industry it is used to prepare oil and gasoline resistant tubes. In the cosmetic and personal care industries, it is used as bulking and opacifying agents in the face and body powders, and skin creams.{{cite web, title=Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Moisturizer, url=http://www.olay.com/en-us/skin-care-products/regenerist-micro-sculpting-cream-moisturizer, website=Olay, publisher=

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...

, accessdate=10 December 2015 Nylon 12 has also found uses in the textile industry and for producing sporting and leisure goods among other applications.

Manufacturers

Significant suppliers of nylon 12 include

EMS-Chemie Ems-Chemie is a Swiss corporate group based in Domat/Ems, in the canton of Graubünden, whose companies are grouped under "Ems-Chemie Holding". This is the only listed company belonging to the scope of consolidation and is listed on the SIX Swi ...

, the

Marl Chemical Park Marl Chemical Park () is an industrial park in Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the third largest industrial cluster in Germany and among the largest chemical industry, chemical production facilities in Europe. The site occupies over ...

operated by

Evonik , products = Chemicals , revenue = {{Decrease €15.2 billion (2024){{cite web , url= https://www.evonik.com/en/investor-relations/Reporting.html#tabs-b118b10b7a-item-2d4ab0c2ad-tab , title=Evonik Financial Report 2024 , publisher=Evonik Industri ...

Arkema Arkema S.A. is a Public company, publicly listed, multi-national manufacturer of specialty materials, headquartered in La Défense, near Paris, France. It has three specialty materials segments (or divisions); Adhesive, adhesives, advanced mater ...

and South Korea's SH Energy & Chemical Co.

References

Polyamides