World Analysis – Nylon Feedstocks

Duration: Long-term outlook to 2060

Nylon is a term that refers to a family of organic polymers known as polyamides, which are characterized by a functional group amide (NH-CO). Developed in 1930s, nylon was the first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer. Nylon has high resistance to wear, heat, and chemicals, so it can be used in the production of fiber, film, and molding compounds. Nylon encompasses a range of material types, where nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 are by far the most successful and highest-volume members of this material family. This analysis concentrates on the feedstocks for nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, including:

• Cyclohexane, a derivative of benzene used almost exclusively as a precursor for caprolactam and adipic acid to produce nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, respectively.
• Caprolactam is used to produce nylon 6.
• Adipic acid, used in combination with hexamethylenediamine in the formation of nylon 6,6.
• Hexamethylenediamine and its primary feedstock, adiponitrile, are derivatives of either butadiene, propylene, or adipic acid.

Nylon 6 is produced from caprolactam, so named because it has six carbon atoms in the basic unit. Caprolactam is synthesized from cyclohexanone, which is produced from benzene by either phenol via hydrogenation, cyclohexane via oxidation, or cyclohexene via hydration. Cyclohexanone reacts with ammonia-derived hydroxylamine to form cyclohexanone oxime, which undergoes molecular rearrangement to form seven-membered ring caprolactam. On the other hand, two of the ingredients that are used to synthesize nylon 6,6, adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA), each contain six carbon atoms. Adipic acid is produced from a mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, which is also known as KA oil, and can be made from cyclohexane, cyclohexene, or phenol. Adiponitrile is the primary feedstock for HMDA, and there are two main processes for making adiponitrile. In the first case, butadiene is reacted with hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen to make adiponitrile. The second approach dimerizes acrylonitrile to adiponitrile in an electrolytic cell.

Duration: Long-term outlook to 2060

The World Analysis – Nylon Fibers provides a comprehensive analysis and key insights into critical market developments as they shape the future outlook for the global nylon fibers market.

The following reports, data files, analytical tools and visualization modules are available online and can be downloaded from our website:

• Direct Access to the Subject Matter Experts
• In-depth exploration of present market strategic insights, recognition of critical challenges, and presentation of our experts’ forecasts and analysis
• Explanatory Notes detailing data sources, methodologies, unit and conversion factors, and World Analysis deliverables.
• Energy and Economy assumptions
• Price, cost, and margin-based assumptions forecast and sensitivity analysis, including price assessment methodology and price definitions across all regions.
• Excel data files with standard supply/demand graphics and price forecasts extended to 2060, trade grids with country and regional trade flows
• Data appendix (Excel) with supply/demand, capacity and trade tables.
• An online dashboard visualization of capacity, supply/demand, trade grids, and price, cost and margin forecasts
• Supply/demand and capacity database access via data browser
• Data Appendix (Excel) with supply/demand and capacity tables
• Capacity by company/shareholder, capacity integration, top producer/consumer and surplus/deficit capacity ranking, and ownership/subsidiary information

Data is provided for the following products:

Supply/demand balances:

• Cyclohexane
• Caprolactam
• Adipic acid
• Hexamethylenediamine (HMDA)
• Adiponitrile
• Nylon Polymerization

Capacity:

• Cyclohexane
• Caprolactam
• Adipic Acid
• HMDA
• Adiponitrile
• Nylon 6 Chip/Resin
• Nylon 6,6 Chip/Resin

This World Analysis contains detailed information on capacities, production, demand and trade for all significant producing and consuming countries, geographies and regions. Although data gathering is essential for understanding history and potential future trends, we believe that the interpretation and analysis of the data are the most valuable parts for our clients.

Verifying the data is critical to the quality of the analysis, and the input our teams get from direct participants in the global business is most important in arriving at realistic conclusions.

Duration: Long-term outlook to 2060