By Sid Perkins
Each year, thousands of tons of nylon end up in landfills. But small-scale experiments may offer big hope for efficient recycling of some types of the material.
Nylon-6, an artificial polymer used in carpets, clothing, and car parts, is made by chemically linking large numbers of molecules derived from a petroleum product called caprolactam. Current processes to break apart, or depolymerize, nylon-6 typically must take place at high temperatures and high pressures. The processes are also relatively inefficient, says Akio Kamimura, an organic chemist at Yamaguchi University in Ube, Japan.