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US 5,312,898 AGranted
Process for depolymerization of polyacrylonitrile using hot water
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsMichael Siskin, Ramzi Y. Saleh, George A. Knudsen
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for depolymerizing polyacrylonitrile into water soluble by-products, including ammonia and lower molecular weight carbonaceous materials by contacting the starting materials, polyacrylonitrile, and neutral, hot liquid water at a temperature from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure. The present invention has utility as a means for degrading polyacrylonitrile without producing toxic hydrogen cyanide as a by-product.
Claims5
A process for degrading polyacrylonitrile comprising:
- contacting the starting materials of polyacrylonitrile and neutral, deoxygenated water at a temperature of from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure for a time sufficient to depolymerize the polyacrylonitrile to produce water soluble by-products without the release of hydrogen cyanide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.