Overview
There are many types of nylons commercially available. The versatility of nylon makes it one of the most widely used engineering thermoplastics. Commercial nylons include nylon 6, nylon 4/6, nylon 6/6, nylon 6/10, nylon 6/12, nylon 11 and nylon 12. The numerical nomenclature for nylon is derived from the number of carbon atoms in the diamine and dibasic acid monomers used to manufacture nylon. The ratio of carbon atoms is what gives each nylon type its unique property characteristics.
Nylon 4/6 is a versatile high heat engineering thermoplastics. It is popular in the automotive and electronic markets because of its excellent balance of strength, ductility and high heat resistance. Nylon 4/6 is an outstanding candidate for metal replacement applications. It is very easy to process, which allows it to be used for everything from complex, thin walled components to large thick walled housings.
Nylon 4/6 is very easy to modify with fillers, fibers, internal lubricants, and impact modifiers. With the use of fiber reinforcements the physical strength of nylon 4/6 can be improved 5 times that of the base resin. The stiffness of nylon 4/6 can be improved up to 10 times. The use of internal lubricants improves on the already excellent wear resistance and friction properties on nylon 4/6. Its versatility allows it to be used in almost any application that requires high physical strength, ductility, high heat resistance and chemical resistance.
