Nylon (PA)

Filled and unfilled. ATM is very familiar with virtually all grades of Nylon.

Nylon is a thermoplastic silky material, first used commercially in a nylon-bristled toothbrush (1938), followed more famously by women’s “nylons” stockings (1940). It is made of repeating units linked by peptide bonds (another name for amide bonds) and is frequently referred to as polyamide (PA). Nylon was the first commercially successful polymer and the first synthetic fiber to be made entirely from coal, water and air. These are formed into monomers of intermediate molecular weight, which are then reacted to form long polymer chains.

Nylon was intended to be a synthetic replacement for silk and substituted for it in many different products after silk became scarce during World War II. It replaced silk in military applications such as parachutes, flak vests, and was used in many types of vehicle tires.

Nylon fibers are used in many applications, including fabrics, bridal veils, carpets, musical strings and rope.

Solid nylon is used for mechanical parts such as gears and other low- to medium-stress components previously cast in metal. Engineering grade nylon is processed by extrusion, casting, and injection molding. Solid nylon is used in hair combs. Type 6/6 Nylon 101 is the most common commercial grade of nylon, and Nylon 6 is the most common commercial grade of cast nylon. Nylon is available in glass-filled and molybdenum sulfide-filled variants which increase structural and impact strength and rigidity or lubricity.

Nylon 66 and Nylon 6 Structure

Nylon 66 and Nylon 6 Structure