General Properties
Short Name:
Name:
PA6
Polyamide 6
Polyamide 6 (PA6) is not a condensation product, but is generated by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam.
Structural Formula
Properties
| Glass Transition Temperature | 45 to 80°C |
|---|---|
| Melting Temperature | 225 to 235°C |
| Melting Enthalpy | 190 J/g |
| Decomposition Temperature | 445 to 460°C |
| Young's Modulus | 2800 MPa |
| Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion | 80 to 90 *10-6/K |
| Specific Heat Capacity | 1.59 to 1.70 J/(g*K) |
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.22 to 0.33 W/(m*K) |
| Density | 1.12 to 1.15 g/cm³ |
| Morphology | Semi-crystalline thermoplastic |
| General properties | Good mechanical strength. High wear resistance. High impact strength. Good damping behavior. Good sliding properties |
| Processing | Injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, melting |
| Applications | Textiles (fibers). Mechanical engineering (gear wheels, screws, slide bearings…) |
NETZSCH Measurement
| Instrument | DSC 204 F1 Phoenix® |
| Sample Mass | 10.73 mg |
| Isothermal Phase | 5 min |
| Heating/Colling Rates | 10 K/min |
| Crucible | Al, pierced lid |
| Atmosphere | N2 (50 ml/min) |
Evaluation
The as-received PA6 granulate was highly amorphous, as demonstrated in the 1st heating (blue) by a glass transition with a high Δcp (0.16 J/(g.K) at 36°C) and post-crystallization at 190°C. In the temperature range between approx. 70°C and 150°C, a broad, flat peak can be seen, probably due to evaporation of water, which is responsible for the positive shift in the glass transition temperature of around 15 K between the 1st and 2nd heating. After controlled cooling, a multiple structured melting peak, indicating several melting phases, was observed in the 2nd heating (red). The temperature of the main peak occurred at 223°C, within the range typical for PA6.