Differences between PA6(Nylon6), PA66(Nylon66), PA11(Nylon11) and PA12(Nylon12)?

2024-01-09

What is Polyamides(Nylon)?

Polyamides, commonly known as nylon, abbreviated as PA, contain repeated amide bonds, namely –CO-NH–.

Polyamide (nylon) is an important engineering plastic. This plastic is widely used in various industries, especially in the chemical and manufacturing industries, due to its excellent properties, especially in the chemical, mechanical and flame retardant fields.

What are the main types of Polyamides(Nylon) in the market?

There are many types of nylon on the market, mainly divided into 8 types, PA6, PA66, PA46, PA69, PA610, PA612, PA11 and PA12.

Among them, PA6, PA11, PA12 and PA66 are the most common ones. So, how to distinguish these types of nylon? Below we will introduce it in detail from several aspects.

What are the differences between PA6(Nylon6), PA66(Nylon66), PA11(Nylon11) and PA12(Nylon12)?

1. Basic features

1-1. PA6 and PA66:

PA6, also known as nylon 6 or polycaprolactam, is one of the most widely used polyamides worldwide. Its melting point is 223°C.

Structural Formula of PA6

PA66, also known as nylon 66, is one of the most popular engineering thermoplastics. It is formed by the condensation polymerization of hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid, with a melting point of 255°C.

Structural Formula of PA66

The most common nylon materials in industry and life are PA6 and PA66, which are short-chain (6-carbon chain) synthetic materials. The material strength, temperature resistance, aesthetics, corrosion resistance, etc. are excellent. The crystallinity of PA6 is not as good as PA66 has a slightly lower melting point, slightly stronger toughness, and slightly better processability. The difference between the two is not very big. Unfortunately, these two nylon materials are not very 3D printable because the material absorbs a lot of moisture (1.5%-2.8%).

1-2. PA11 and PA12:

PA11, also known as nylon 11, is a rare bio-based engineering plastic derived from the castor plant. It is polymerized from 11-aminoundecanoic acid.

Structural Formula of PA11

PA12, also known as nylon 12, is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic. Its properties are similar to PA11 and can be extracted from petroleum and renewable resources.

Structural Formula of PA12

The performance of PA12 and PA11 is between PA6 and PE, and the toughness is better than PA6(6). In some applications, such as wires, PA6(6) may be too hard, but PA12 and PA11 are competent. However, PA12 and PA11 have lower melting temperatures, lower strength, lower dielectric properties, and more expensive prices. This is the main reason why PA12 is not as widely used as PA6 in actual industrial production.

2. Application areas
2-1. PA6 and PA66: Due to their advantages in mechanical and processing properties, they are widely used in automotive, electronics and machinery manufacturing and other fields.

2-2. PA11 and PA12: Because of their good flexibility and electrical properties, they are often used in wire insulation, packaging materials, auto parts and other fields. In the field of 3D printing, the currently available nylon materials are mainly PA12, but also PA11 and PA6. This is because these nylon materials have better printing properties and the molded products have higher toughness and durability.

In general, the key to distinguishing PA6, PA11, PA12, and PA66 is to understand their basic performance and application fields. Each type of nylon has its own unique properties and applicable scenarios. Choosing the right nylon material is critical to ensuring product performance and quality. With the advancement of science and technology and the continuous expansion of application scenarios, nylon materials will play an increasingly important role in the future chemical industry.