Wesley R. Peterson was wrestling with this problem and with a simple but effective answer. He added acetic acid to the reaction mixture before polymerization. This achieved the desired molecular weight nylon polymer.

Acetic acid is a substance that can be found in any kitchen. Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid and water.

Carothers did not like to interfere with the polymerization process. Carothers was usually more interested in studying reactions scientifically than using them to make commercial products. But it worked. Adding acetic acid kept the molecular weight down to usable levels. Click here to find out how!