Medium and high molecular weight long chain aliphatic nylons and methods of making the same

1. A method of making aliphatic nylon polymers and/or copolymers, comprising, mixing hexamethylene diamine with octadecanedioic acid, to form a diamine-diacid salt solution;

removing a sample of the diamine-diacid salt solution and dissolving the sample of the diamine-diacid salt solution in a solvent comprising one or more C 3 to C 6 alcohols present in water in an amount of about 50% by volume at a temperature of about 90° C., to form a dissolved diamine-diacid solution;

titrating the dissolved diamine-diacid solution to a pH of about 8.1; calculating the amount of diamine or diacid needed to bring the diamine-diacid salt solution to a pH of about 8.1;

adding the calculated amount of diamine or diacid to the diamine-diacid salt solution to form a mixture; and polymerizing the mixture to form a nylon 618 polymer or copolymer, wherein the nylon 618 polymer or copolymer has a molecular weight greater than about 30,000 g/mol.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises isopropanol.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nylon 618 polymer or copolymer is a copolymer of nylon 618 and nylon 66.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nylon 618 polymer or copolymer is a copolymer of nylon 618 and nylon 612.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diacid comprises a mixture of two or more C 6 to C 22 diacids.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the diacid comprises at least one C 12 to C 22 diacid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nylon 618 polymer or copolymer is suitable for extrusion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nylon 618 polymer or copolymer has a modulus of elasticity of up to about 1100 MPa.