Acrylic and modacrylic fiber
precursor chemicals

Acrylonitrile

Colorless, volatile liquid, CH2CHCN, with a pungent odor. Each year more than 10 billion pounds of acrylonitrile is produced worldwide at more than 50 manufacturing sites, including six in the U.S. Process for making acrylonitrile involves mixing and heating propylene, ammonia, air and a catalyst, in a large reactor vessel. This process can yield more than 80% acrylonitrile, as well as 10-15% useful chemical co-products.

Acrylonitrile: CH2=CHCN

Polyacrylonitrile:  — (CH2 CH)n
    ½
    CºN
 

Vinyl chloride

A gas with the chemical composition CH2=CHCl. Vinyl chloride is made by reacting chlorine with ethylene. Chlorine and ethylene are extracted from salt (brine) and petroleum, respectively.

To produce the monomer: CH2=CH2 + Cl2 ® CH2=CHCl + HCl

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the made from the polymerization of vinyl chloride.

PVC:  — (CH2 CH)n
    ½
    Cl
Read about how Waldo L. Semon invented PVC.

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