What are polyamides?
Polyamides (PA) are one of the most widely used thermoplastics by industries due to their versatility. This plastic offers an optimum combination of mechanical strength, wear, stiffness and toughness.
In addition, it has a high resistance to thermal deformation, withstanding temperatures between -70ºC and +300ºC (depending on the PA variety used). It is also a good electrical insulator and has a high chemical resistance.
Nylon: the trade name for polyamide
Nylonis the trade name for a type of polyamide thermoplastic. It was first developed by DuPont engineers in the mid-1930s and has since been used in almost every industry.
Types of Nylon (PA)
Most Nylons tend to be semi-crystalline and are generally very tough plastic materials with good thermal and chemical resistance. The different types offer a wide range of properties with specific gravity, melting point and moisture content tending to decrease as the Nylon number increases.
Many types of Nylon are available (e.g. Nylon6, Nylon66, Nylon11, Nylon12…). The material is available as a homopolymer, copolymer or reinforced. Nylon can also be blended with other plastics to improve certain aspects of performance.
Finally, Nylon is available for processing by rotational molding in powder form.
Polyamide (PA) in rotational molding
One of the most commonly used polyamides in the manufacturing process of plastic parts by rotational molding is Nylon6 or PA6. With 60% crystallization, it stands out for its toughness, low friction coefficient and high resistance to abrasion.
Ehe use of plasticizers reduces stiffness and can increase stretch by up to 45% when reinforced with fiberglass, improving mechanical properties and reducing moisture absorption.. It has an outstanding ability to withstand dynamic loads, noise and vibration damping, and good resistance to impact forces.
Moisture, when absorbed, plasticizes PA6, increasing impact resistance. Wear resistance and low coefficient of friction are crucial properties; when reinforced, friction decreases by 20%.
Lroducts made of PA6 are ideal for long-term high loads.. With a melting point of 215ºC, its resistance to high temperatures (82-121ºC) increases with fiberglass reinforcement (93-149ºC, 30-35%).
Nylon11 or PA11 is a type of plastic that is more elastic and stronger than polyamide 12 due to its molecular structure. It melts between 180 and 190ºC and is processed in a temperature range of 200 to 270ºC.
This polyamide has a lower density, around 1.04-1.06 g/cm3, absorbs very little moisture and maintains its dimensions well.
It offers impact resistance at low temperatures, withstanding between -40 and -70ºC, and shows good resistance to adverse weather conditions.
Nylon12 or PA12 is a polyamide that stands out for its toughness, tensile strength and chemical resistance, common characteristics in polyamides. However, it is distinguished by its dimensional stability and low density of 1.02 g/cm3.
Unlike PA6, it absorbs less water, which improves its mechanical and electrical performance. It melts between 160 and 209ºC, with a glass transition temperature of 125 to 155ºC, and is processed between 176 and 275ºC.
This type of polyamide is usually reinforced with glass or carbon fiber and sometimes plasticizers are added to achieve more flexible products.
Advantages of polyamides
As mentioned above, polyamides are among the most outstanding and beneficial thermoplastics thanks to their exceptional wear resistance, favorable coefficient of friction and remarkable temperature and impact resistance properties.
In addition, they exhibit remarkable chemical resistance and act as highly oil-resistant plastics.. This combination of properties makes it an ideal material to replace metal in various applications. They excel in sectors such as the manufacture of automotive parts, industrial valves, insulating joints for railroad tracks, and other industrial areas where a precise combination of strength, toughness and weight reduction is required in the design.
Other advantages include:
– High strength and stiffnessNylon: provides resistance to impact, resilience and heat; some types of Nylon have a melting point close to 300 °C.
– High damping poweroffers a significant capacity to absorb impacts, vibrations and noise.
– High abrasion resistanceHigh abrasion resistance: it stands out for its ability to resist wear due to mechanical action.
– Good resistance to chemicalsGood resistance to organic solvents and fuels.
– Good fatigue resistanceIdeal for components in constant motion, such as gears.
– Good sliding.
– Effective thermal insulatorIts high moisture absorption and ability to prevent the passage of air make it a good thermal insulator.
ABC Rotomolding: we use high quality plastic materials
At ABC Rotomolding, we lead innovation by incorporating Nylon into our rotomolding process. We take advantage of the unique benefits of this material, such as its mechanical strength, rigidity and damping capacity.
This allows us to offer high quality and durable products in a wide variety of applications, from motorcycle crates to dosing tanks..
Moreover, rotational molding allows us to adapt to any sector due to the versatility of the plastic materials used: from the agricultural sector to the automotive sector.
Trust ABC Rotomolding for customized solutions backed by decades of experience and commitment to excellence.
