Polyamide (nylon) is a synthetic thermoplastic polymer characterized by amide linkages in its backbone chain, available in various grades including PA6, PA66, and engineering variants with glass or mineral reinforcement. It is widely used in automotive components (fuel systems, air intake manifolds, bearing cages), mechanical parts requiring wear resistance (gears, bushings, connectors), and consumer applications (textiles, appliances) due to its combination of toughness, chemical resistance, and processability. Engineers select polyamide when balanced mechanical strength, environmental durability, and cost-effectiveness are priorities, though its moisture absorption and moderate thermal limits require design consideration compared to high-performance alternatives like polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).
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| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Compressive Strength(σc) | 8.567 | ksi | — | ||
Elongation at Break(εf) | 10.58 | - | — | ||
Flexural Strength (MOR)(σf) | 10.56 | ksi | — | ||
Hardness (Vickers)(HV) | 2,500 | HV | — | ||
Ultimate Tensile Strength(σUTS) | 10.21 | ksi | — | ||
Young's Modulus(E) | 292.8 | ksi | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Glass Transition Temperature(Tg) | 337.8 | °F | — | ||
Melting Point / Solidus(Tm) | 389.3 | °F | — | ||
Maximum Service Temperature(Tmax) | 737.9 | °F | — | ||
Thermal Conductivity(k) | 0.2303 | BTU/(hr·ft·°F) | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Band Gap(Eg) | 2.948 | eV | — |
| Property | Value | Unit | Conditions | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Refractive Index(n) | 1.623 | - | — |