Caprolactam
The single monomer behind Nylon 6 — ring-opened and polymerised into the fibre and engineering resin found in textiles, carpets, automotive parts and industrial components worldwide.
Chelora Chemicals supplies caprolactam to Nylon 6 polymerisation plants worldwide, in flake or molten form, with full documentation and consistent purity on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 105-60-2
- IUPAC name
- Azepan-2-one
- Molecular formula
- C₆H₁₁NO
- Molecular weight
- 113.16 g/mol
- Melting point
- 69.2 °C
- Boiling point
- 270.8 °C
- GHS Pictogram
- GHS07
- HS Code
- 2933 79
Note: we confirm the exact transport classification for your specific shipment size and destination before booking.
What Caprolactam is used for
Caprolactam is a white crystalline solid (flakes or prills) or a colourless molten liquid above its melting point, a 7-membered ring lactam with the formula C₆H₁₁NO. It is hygroscopic and readily soluble in water and most organic solvents.
Almost all caprolactam produced goes into the manufacture of Nylon 6: the ring opens under heat and catalysis and the resulting monomer units link end to end into a long polyamide chain, a process called ring-opening polymerisation. The resulting Nylon 6 is spun into textile and carpet fibre, or extruded/moulded into engineering resin for automotive, industrial and consumer parts. A smaller volume of caprolactam is consumed as a chemical intermediate in specialty organic synthesis.
Downstream application
- Caprolactam (this product) the single monomer, ring-opened under polymerisation conditions.
- Nylon 6 (PA6) the polyamide formed, used in fibre and engineering-resin form. See that page.
Handling character
Caprolactam carries a GHS Warning signal word, harmful if swallowed or inhaled and causing skin/eye irritation. Full hazard detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White flakes/prills or molten liquid |
| Assay | 99.9% min (polymer grade) |
| Permanganate number | Within producer specification |
| Volatile base nitrogen | Within producer specification |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | White crystalline flakes/prills; colourless liquid when molten |
| Melting point | 69.2 °C |
| Boiling point | 270.8 °C |
| Density | 1.01 g/cm³ |
| Water solubility | Readily soluble |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 105-60-2 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this monomer to work
One monomer, one polymer family — but an enormous range of end products.
Nylon 6 fibre production
Ring-opening polymerised and spun into textile and carpet fibre.
- Polymer-grade specification
- Flake & molten supply
- Technical desk review on request
Nylon 6 engineering resin
Polymerised into engineering resin for automotive, industrial and consumer parts.
- Consistent purity specification
- Documented batch traceability
Specialty chemical intermediate
Used in smaller volumes as an intermediate in specialty organic synthesis.
- Research & process-scale quantities
- Full documentation supplied
Film & packaging grades
Supports Nylon 6 film and barrier-packaging resin production.
- Packs sized to customer volumes
- Retained sample held against the lot
Monofilament & industrial yarn
Polymerised into monofilament used in fishing line, brush bristle and industrial yarn.
- Consistent molecular-weight specification
- Full documentation supplied
Contract & scheduled supply
Nylon 6 polymerisation plants running continuous consumption are supported with scheduled bulk delivery.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Caprolactam
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. Purity, permanganate number and colour are critical to fibre and resin quality — that shapes how we manage this line.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your required grade, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm your jurisdiction's import requirements before booking.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your production problem.
- Polymer-grade purity confirmed before we quote. Consistency matters to fibre and resin quality.
- Flake or molten form, your choice. Molten delivery direct to polymerisation lines where logistics allow.
- Scheduled call-off scheduling. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Classification, approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
- Fibre-grade and engineering-grade both sourced. Matched precisely to your Nylon 6 process.
Packed the way your plant receives it
Flake, prill or molten — tell us your preferred form and we will quote and classify to it.
25 kg multi-wall bags
Moisture-barrier bags for flake/prill form, on pallets for easy handling.
~1,000 kg octabins
Bulk octabins with liner for mid- to large-volume flake/prill orders.
Molten bulk shipment
Temperature-controlled bulk or ISO tank shipment of molten caprolactam direct to polymerisation lines.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for process trials before a commercial order is placed.
Contracted call-off supply
We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
Harmful if swallowed or inhaled — causes irritation
Caprolactam requires standard chemical-handling precautions around dust, vapour and skin contact. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H302Harmful if swallowed.H315Causes skin irritation.H319Causes serious eye irritation.H332Harmful if inhaled.H335May cause respiratory irritation.
Dust and vapour control recommended. Molten material presents thermal-burn risk in addition to chemical hazards; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch and store accordingly.
Storage
Store flake/prill material in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Molten material must be held at controlled temperature in insulated, heated storage.
Handling
Use standard PPE (gloves, eye protection, dust mask where applicable) when handling flake material. Molten handling requires thermal-protective equipment in addition to standard chemical PPE.
Transport
Caprolactam typically ships under GHS pictogram GHS07 without a dedicated UN dangerous-goods number for standard industrial shipments; molten bulk shipment requires heated/insulated transport equipment. We confirm and document the exact classification for your specific shipment and destination.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Assay, permanganate number and colour confirmed against your polymerisation requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS and transport paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How caprolactam becomes Nylon 6
Caprolactam is a 7-membered ring lactam. Under polymerisation conditions, the ring opens and the resulting monomer units link end to end in a ring-opening polymerisation to form a long linear polyamide chain — Nylon 6. This is a single-monomer route, distinct from Nylon 6,6, which is formed from two separate monomers (hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid) through condensation polymerisation.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Chemical family | Cyclic lactam |
|---|---|
| Functional group | Amide ring (7-membered) |
| Reactivity | Ring-opening polymerisation to polyamide (Nylon 6) |
| Related product | Nylon 6 (PA6), the polymer it forms |
Explore the wider product range
Caprolactam, answered
What is Caprolactam used for?
How does Caprolactam become Nylon 6?
Is Caprolactam hazardous?
What form do you supply it in?
What packing do you offer?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
- Looking for the finished polymer? See our Nylon 6 (PA6) page.
Get a quote on Caprolactam today
Send us your required grade, form (flake or molten) and delivery window. We will come back with a firm quote, lead time and full documentation.