Polyamide - Nylon 6 (PA 6) - Material Information

Polyamide 6 (PA 6), also known as Nylon 6, is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic widely recognized for its toughness, resilience, and ease of processing. It shares many properties with Nylon 6,6 but offers better impact resistance and simpler molding performance, making it a preferred choice in automotive, consumer, and industrial applications.

Material Overview

PA 6 is synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of caprolactam, resulting in long chains with repeating amide linkages (–CONH–). This structure promotes strong hydrogen bonding between polymer chains, producing high mechanical strength and thermal stability. Compared to Nylon 6,6, PA 6 typically has slightly lower stiffness but higher elongation and toughness (Chavarria & Paul, 2004). It absorbs more moisture (up to 9% at saturation), influencing its mechanical behavior—moisture acts as a plasticizer, increasing flexibility but reducing stiffness and strength (Pai et al., 1989). When reinforced with fillers or treated via irradiation, PA 6 shows tunable mechanical and barrier properties (Wang et al., 2020).

Applications and Advantages

PA 6 is widely used in gears, bearings, casings, fasteners, and electrical housings, where its toughness and wear resistance outperform many thermoplastics. Its excellent machinability and high impact strength make it suitable for structural components, while its thermal stability (melting point ~220 °C) allows reliable performance under continuous mechanical stress. Nanocomposite and fiber-reinforced formulations further enhance its stiffness, dimensional stability, and resistance to creep. Studies have demonstrated that PA 6 composites outperform PA 6,6 in tensile strength and exfoliation behavior when used with organoclays, offering designers greater freedom in lightweight structural design (Chavarria & Paul, 2004).

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies Polyamide 6 in multiple forms including powder and molded stock. The material is available in a variety of standard grades, and custom dimensions can be specified for research and engineering use. For detailed specifications, visit the Goodfellow product finder.

Explore Polyamide 6 and other engineering thermoplastics in Goodfellow’s online catalogue: Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Chavarria, F., & Paul, D. R. (2004). *Comparison of nanocomposites based on nylon 6 and nylon 66*. Polymer, 45(26), 8501–8515.
• Wang, J., Qiu, J., Xu, S., Li, J., & Shen, L. (2020). *Electron beam irradiation influencing the mechanical properties and water absorption of polycaprolactam (PA6) and polyhexamethylene adipamide (PA66)*. RSC Advances, 10(33), 19773–19782.
• Pai, C. C., Jeng, R. J., Grossman, S. J., & Huang, J. C. (1989). *Effects of moisture on thermal and mechanical properties of nylon-6,6*. Advances in Polymer Technology, 9(2), 97–106.
• Hassan, A., Rahman, N. A., & Yahya, R. (2012). *Moisture absorption effect on thermal, dynamic mechanical and mechanical properties of injection-molded short glass-fiber/polyamide 6,6 composites*. Fibers and Polymers, 13(9), 1125–1133.