Nylon
Nylon is one of the most commonly used engineering thermoplastics. It offers a balance between mechanical performance and cost. There are many grades of nylon available, the most common being nylon 6 and nylon 6/6 (sometimes written as nylon 66, nylon 6,6 or nylon 6.6, also PA 66) Nylon is a polyamide, hence the ‘PA’ designation. Other grades include nylon 11 and nylon 12.
The properties of nylon 6 and nylon 6/6 are very similar and can often be used interchangeably, but there are advantages and limitation for each grade.
The main characteristics of polyamide or nylon are:
- Excellent wear resistance
- High mechanical strength, stiffness, hardness and toughness
- Good fatigue resistance
- Good sliding properties
- Good electrical insulating properties
- Good machinability
- High mechanical damping ability
Nylon 6 or PA 6
Nylon 6 is the most common commercial grade of nylon, it is tough, possessing high tensile strength. Nylon 6 has a lower processing temperature, it is ideal for application which require toughness, impact resistance and a good quality surface finish. Nylon 6 is usually a lower cost option to nylon 6/6. Casting results in less stress that extruding and provides better dimensional stability.
Applications: Widely used in automotive components, circuit breakers, pulleys and gears.
Forms: Rod and sheet, extruded and cast.
| Nylon | PA 6 |
| TECAMID 6 GF25 black | PA 6 |
| TECAMID 6 GF30 black | PA 6 |
| TECAMID 6 ID blue | PA 6 |
| TECAMID 6 MO black | PA 6 |
| TECAMID 6 natural | PA 6 |
| Omniamid (Cast Nylon Natural) | PA 6 |
| Omniamid (Cast Nylon Black) | PA 6 |
| Omniamid (Oil-Filled) | PA 6 |
| Omniamid (Heat-Stabilised) | PA 6 |
| Ertalon 6SA | PA 6 |
| Ertalon 6PLA | PA 6 |
| Ertalon LFG | PA 6 |
| Ertalon 6XAU+ | PA 6 |
| Ertalon LFX | PA 6 |
| Nylatron MC901 | PA 6 |
| Nylatron 703XL | PA 6 |
Nylon 6/6 or PA 66
Nylon 6/6 is a semicrystalline polyamide and a very versatile engineering thermoplastic. Nylon 6/6 has an excellent balance of strength, ductility and heat resistance, it is stiffer and tougher but more brittle than nylon 6. Where metal replacement is being considered, nylon 6/6 is a leading candidate. Nylon 6/6 has a much higher melting point than cast nylon 6 and is used where higher operating temperatures are needed. There are a larger number of fillers, fibres and internal lubricants available for nylon 6/6.
Applications: used where high mechanical strength, great rigidity, and good stability under heat is required. Bearings, gears, sprockets, bushes, profiles and machined parts. It is also used in fibre applications such as carpeting, clothing or reinforcement in tyres.
Forms: Rod and sheet, extruded.
| TECAMID 66 CF10 TF20 black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 CF20 black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 CF20 HI black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 CF20 TF15 black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 GF30 black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 GF35 HI black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 GF35 natural | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 HI brown | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 LA natural | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 MO black | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66 natural | PA 66 |
| TECAMID 66/X GF50 black | PA 66 |
| Ertalon 66SA | PA 66 |
| Ertalon 66GF30 | PA 66 |
| Nylatron GS | PA 66 |
Nylon 11 or PA 11
Nylon 11 – a semi-crystalline engineering plastic with very high toughness and good chemical resistance for a wide variety of applications. It has many charactersitc in common with nylon 12. It has low water absorbtion and has the ability to accept high loading of fillers such as glass fibres or carbon fibres. Nylon 11 is derived from natural products (castor oil) and has a lower environmental impact compared to other grades.
compare to other grades, nylon 11 offers reasonable UV resistance, higher strength, better heat resistance, but this comes at a higher cost.
Applications: Air hoses, hydraulic hoses, hoses for fluid or petrol, cams, gears, tool handles.
Available forms: Rod and sheet, extruded.
| TECAMID 11 natural | PA 11 |
| TECAMID 11 GF30 natural | PA 11 |
Nylon 12 or PA 12
Nylon 12 has minimum water uptake and good dimensional stability and superior flexibility. Nylon 12 is also chemical resistant and insensitive to stress cracking.
Available forms: Rod and sheet, extruded.
| TECAMID 12 natural | PA 12 |
Other grades and brands of nylon available on request, please call if you have specific needs or would like advice on material choices.
MSDS and product data sheets available on request
