The raw materials for Nylon 66 are adipic acid and hexamethylene diamine. When polymerized, it results in a polymer with six carbon atoms from adipic acid and six carbon atoms from hexamethylene diamine, hence the name Nylon 66.

Chemical formula of nylon 66 (C₁₂H₂₂N₂O₂)_n

In the first part, the structure of adipic acid “CO-(CH2)4-CO” contains four carbon atoms in “(CH2)4” and two carbon atoms in each “CO” group. In the second part, the structure of hexamethylene diamine “NH-(CH2)6-NH” includes six carbon atoms in “(CH2)6.”

Chemical formula of nylon 6　(C₆H₁₁NO)_n

By ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam, a raw material for nylon, Nylon 6 is produced.

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