PA6: Polyamide 6

ETP

Engineering Thermoplastics

General Properties

Short Name: PA6

Name: Polyamide 6

Polyamide 6 (PA6) is not a condensation product, but is generated by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam.

Structural Formula

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Properties

Glass Transition TemperatureThe glass transition is one of the most important properties of amorphous and semi-crystalline materials, e.g., inorganic glasses, amorphous metals, polymers, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, etc., and describes the temperature region where the mechanical properties of the materials change from hard and brittle to more soft, deformable or rubbery.Glass Transition Temperature	45 to 80°C
Melting Temperatures and EnthalpiesThe enthalpy of fusion of a substance, also known as latent heat, is a measure of the energy input, typically heat, which is necessary to convert a substance from solid to liquid state. The melting point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes state from solid (crystalline) to liquid (isotropic melt).Melting Temperature	225 to 235°C
Melting Temperatures and EnthalpiesThe enthalpy of fusion of a substance, also known as latent heat, is a measure of the energy input, typically heat, which is necessary to convert a substance from solid to liquid state. The melting point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes state from solid (crystalline) to liquid (isotropic melt).Melting Enthalpy	190 J/g
Decomposition reactionA decomposition reaction is a thermally induced reaction of a chemical compound forming solid and/or gaseous products. Decomposition Temperature	445 to 460°C
Young's Modulus	2800 MPa
Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CLTE/CTE)The coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) describes the length change of a material as a function of the temperature.Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion	80 to 90 *10^-6/K
Specific Heat Capacity	1.59 to 1.70 J/(g*K)
Thermal ConductivityThermal conductivity (λ with the unit W/(m•K)) describes the transport of energy – in the form of heat – through a body of mass as the result of a temperature gradient (see fig. 1). According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat always flows in the direction of the lower temperature.Thermal Conductivity	0.22 to 0.33 W/(m*K)
DensityThe mass density is defined as the ratio between mass and volume. 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

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) graph showing heating curves and thermal transitions at specific temperatures for material analysis.

Sample Mass	10.73 mg
Heating 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 1^st heating (blue) by a Glass Transition TemperatureThe glass transition is one of the most important properties of amorphous and semi-crystalline materials, e.g., inorganic glasses, amorphous metals, polymers, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, etc., and describes the temperature region where the mechanical properties of the materials change from hard and brittle to more soft, deformable or rubbery.glass transition with a high Δc_p (0.16 J/(g.K) at 36°C) and Post Crystallization (Cold Crystallization)The post crystallization of semi-crystalline plastics occurs primarily at elevated temperatures and increased molecular mobility above the glass transition.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 TemperatureThe glass transition is one of the most important properties of amorphous and semi-crystalline materials, e.g., inorganic glasses, amorphous metals, polymers, pharmaceuticals and food ingredients, etc., and describes the temperature region where the mechanical properties of the materials change from hard and brittle to more soft, deformable or rubbery.glass transition temperature of around 15 K between the 1^st and 2^nd 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.