Solid-state polyamidation of hexamethylenediammonium adipate. II. The influence of acid catalysts

Loss of diamine and distinct transition phenomena from the solid to the melt state restrain solid-state polymerization (SSP) of nylon salts from industrial application. To depress these phenomena temperatures well below the melting point of the starting material are employed, resulting however in low reaction rates. The need to use catalysts arises and accordingly in this study hexamethylenediammonium adipate (HMA) particles were polymerized containing a strictly controlled amount of uniformly distributed catalyst. The catalysts included boric, sulphuric, and phosphoric acids with boric acid being the most effective in accelerating the reaction while eliminating the tendency to agglomeration. In general, catalyst concentration up to a critical value plays a considerable role in the overall behavior. Furthermore, in agreement with non catalytic processes, the reaction temperature remains an influential parameter. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.