Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
PROPYLENE DERIVATIVES
A
CRYLONITRILE
Uses
Acrylic textile fibers are primarily polymers of acrylonitrile.
It is copolymerized with styrene and butadiene to make
moldable plastics known as SA and ABS resins,
respectively. Solutia and others electrolytically dimerize it
to adiponitrile, a compound used to make a nylon
intermediate. Reaction with water produces a chemical
(acrylamide), which is an intermediate for the production
of polyacrylamide used in water treatment and oil recovery.
Manufacture
Made by the reaction of propylene with ammonia and air
(the Sohio process). This is the basis for the production of
all of the acrylonitrile made in the world. Recoverable and
salable by-products include hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and
acetonitrile (CH
3
CN).
catalyst
=
CH-CH
3
+
NH
3
+
O
2
=
CH-CN
+
H
2
O
CH
2
CH
2
Suppliers
Cytec, BP Amoco, DuPont, Sterling Chemical, Solutia.
The principal use of acrylonitrile since the early 1950s has been in the
manufacture of so-called “acrylic” textile fibers. Acrylonitrile is first poly-
merized to polyacrylonitrile, which is then spun into fiber. The main feature
of acrylic fibers is their wool-like characteristic, making them desirable for
socks, sweaters, and other types of apparel. However, as with all synthetic
textile fibers, fashion dictates the market and acrylic fibers currently seem
to be in disfavor, so this outlet for acrylonitrile may be stagnant or declining.
The other big uses for acrylonitrile are in copolymers, mainly with styrene.
Such copolymers are very useful for the molding of plastic articles with very
high impact resistance.
Until the 1960s, acrylonitrile was, like vinyl acetate, made from acetylene
(by reaction with hydrogen cyanide), but research on catalysts in the 1950s
led to the much less costly route shown above.
