Nylon plastics

Nylon plastics, especially nylons 6, 66 and 610, are important commercial products. Those mentioned are major synthetic fibers, but are also useful as plastics. Nylon plastics 11 and 12 are also well known as plastics, whilst nylons plastics 7,9,13,1313, 6T and TMDT have also been produced commercially.

One of the dominant characteristics of nylon plastics is their intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which provides a driving force for crystallization. The crystalline polymers often have high melting temperatures, e.g. 265oC for nylon 66, and are usually spherulitic. In the crystallites the nylon molecules exist in extended chain conformations, each chain being hydrogen bonded to its neighbour.

Nylon plastic supplier

The chains of nylon plastics lie parallel to each other thus forming two-dimensional sheets of molecules (the b-sheet conformation). In most cases all amide groups are hydrogen bonded, although this sometimes necessitates a slight twisting of the chain. The nylon plastics sheets are stacked on top of each other to form a crystal lattice; different ways of stacking yielding different crystal structures, named the a-, b- and g-structures. The spinning and drawing processes used in fibre production induce orientation in the fibre direction which enhances the stiffness and strength of nylon plastics.

Dyadic nylons of the nylon plastics family are usually synthesized by melt polymerization polyamidation of a dicarboxylic acid with a diamine, often via an intermediate nylon salt. More reactive derivatives of the acid, especially the chloride, may be used in a solution or interfacial polymerisation.

Nylon plastic properties

Nylon plastics are stiff and tough, with a high abrasion resistance and hence are engineering plastics. The mechanical properties are considerably altered by water absorption from the atmosphere, which can amount to up to about 10%, depending on the nylon plastics and the relative humidity. The absorbed water acts as a plasticizer and lowers the Tg value from about 50oC, typical for a dry nylon, to about 20oC, thus considerably enhancing impact strength of nylon plastics.

Located in Northamptonshire, England, Ryan Plastics is a nylon plastic engineer and nylon plastic supplier to the UK, internationally, and locally within the East Midlands and East Anglia regions. If you require any more information about nylon plastics contact us on 01604 811395. Our address is 78 High Street, Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, England, UK, NN6 0JG.