Polyamide 6
Polyamide 6 is by far the largest nylon polymer in production. It is made from the ring opening polymerisation of caprolactam. Although several commercially successful routes to caprolactam exist they are all ultimately based on benzene.
Production of polyamide 6 polymer reached 4212ktes in 2010 (100% polymer basis) and demand for polymer is expected to grow at 2.2% CAGR (2000-2020). Fibre markets represented 60% of the 2008 polymer demand, engineering thermoplastics at 30% and films consuming 10%.