
Nylon is a strong, stiff engineering plastic with excellent bearing and wear properties. It has high tensile strength and durability, making it suitable for applications that require impact resistance. Nylon plastic is often filled with glass fibres to increase its tensile strength, although this also increases its stiffness. Nylon has superior strength and damage resistance due to its chemical composition, which includes a chain of alternating chemicals that create strong bonds. Its flexibility and natural elasticity make it ideal for applications requiring living hinges or snap-fits. Compared to other plastics, nylon has higher levels of temperature and friction resistance, as well as excellent chemical resistance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | High |
| Durability | High |
| Stiffness | High |
| Abrasion Resistance | High |
| Friction | Low |
| Cost | Low |
| Chemical Resistance | High |
| Temperature Resistance | Performs over a wide range of temperatures |
| Flexibility | Good |
| Elasticity | Breaking extension of 20-40% |
| Moisture Regain | 3.5-5% |
| Softening Point | Nylon 6,6 – 229°C and nylon 6 – 149°C |
| Melting Point | Nylon 6,6 – 252°C and nylon 6 – 215°C |
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What You'll Learn

Nylon's high tensile strength
Nylon is a synthetic polymer that exhibits superior tensile strength and damage resistance. Its unique chemical structure, comprising a chain of alternating hexamethylenediamine (HD) and adipic acid (diacid), gives nylon its exceptional strength. This chain structure forms strong bonds that contribute to its high tensile strength, making it a durable material capable of withstanding impacts.
The tensile strength of nylon can be further enhanced by incorporating glass fibres. Glass-filled nylon, used in 3D printing and injection moulding, can exhibit up to 70% higher tensile strength compared to unfilled nylon. This increased strength, however, comes at the cost of flexibility, as the glass fibres also significantly increase the stiffness of the material.
Nylon's inherent strength and stiffness make it an excellent replacement for metal in various applications. It is commonly used for bearings, bushings, gears, and wear pads, where its low friction, good wear properties, and ability to eliminate the need for external lubrication are advantageous. Nylon's high tensile strength and durability make it suitable for applications where impact resistance is crucial.
Additionally, nylon offers superior temperature and friction resistance compared to other plastics. It performs well over a wide range of temperatures and exhibits excellent chemical resistance. These properties, coupled with its high tensile strength, make nylon a versatile and durable engineering plastic used in numerous industries.
Nylon's tensile strength, however, is not its only desirable characteristic. Its natural elasticity and flexibility allow it to be moulded into various shapes, making it ideal for applications requiring living hinges or snap-fits. Nylon's high moisture absorption, while a consideration in certain applications, can also be managed through design tolerances, further enhancing its versatility.
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Nylon plastic's versatility
Nylon is a highly versatile plastic with a wide range of applications. Its versatility stems from its unique combination of strength, stiffness, and flexibility.
Nylon is known for its high tensile strength and durability, making it suitable for applications where impact resistance is crucial. It has a breaking extension of 20-40%adding glass fibers, resulting in a tensile strength up to 70% higher than that of unfilled nylon.
The stiffness of nylon is a key factor in its versatility. It is often used as a replacement for metal bearings and bushings due to its low friction and excellent wear properties. Nylon's stiffness reduces the need for external lubrication and results in less operating noise and decreased wear on mating parts.
Nylon's flexibility is another important aspect of its versatility. Its natural elasticity allows it to be molded into various shapes, making it ideal for applications requiring living hinges or snap-fits. This flexibility also contributes to its impact resistance, as it can absorb and distribute energy without breaking.
Nylon is also versatile in terms of its temperature and chemical resistance. It performs over a wide range of temperatures and has a higher softening point than many other plastics. Additionally, nylon is oil- and chemical-resistant, able to withstand exposure to various substances without being damaged.
Nylon's versatility extends to its availability in different forms and grades. It can be purchased as sheets, tubes, or rods, and custom sizes and colors are often available upon request. FDA-compliant grades of nylon are also available for direct food contact, further showcasing the material's adaptability to diverse applications.
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Nylon's durability
Nylon is a synthetic material known for its durability and strength. Its unique chemical structure gives it superior strength and damage resistance. The polymer chain that forms during its creation is made up of alternating chemicals, hexamethylenediamine (HD) and adipic acid (diacid), which gives nylon its extra strong bonds. This chain structure also makes nylon oil- and chemical-resistant, and able to withstand exposure to various substances without sustaining damage.
Nylon has a high tensile strength, which is a measure of its ability to withstand being pulled or stretched. This makes it suitable for applications where the material needs to survive impacts. Its strength can be further increased by filling it with glass fibres, which can result in a tensile strength up to 70% higher than that of unfilled nylon. However, this also makes the material very stiff, and more likely to break without bending.
Nylon is also highly resistant to temperature changes and friction. It performs well over a wide range of temperatures and has a high softening point: 229°C for nylon 6,6 and 149°C for nylon 6. It is also extremely tough and abrasion-resistant, making it suitable for a wide range of wear applications.
Overall, nylon's durability and strength make it a versatile and useful material for a wide range of applications.
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Glass-filled nylon
The incorporation of glass fibres into the nylon matrix improves the strength, stiffness, and durability of nylon. Glass-filled nylon has higher tensile strength and modulus of elasticity, making it suitable for applications that require structural integrity and load-bearing capabilities. It also has higher creep resistance, better dimensional stability, and increased wear resistance compared to standard, unfilled nylon. Additionally, glass-filled nylon allows for higher maximum service temperatures and has higher heat deflection resistance.
However, there are some disadvantages to using glass-filled nylon. The CNC machining process becomes more challenging due to the highly abrasive nature of the glass filler, which can cause rapid wear and tear on cutting tools and inserts. Additionally, glass-filled nylon can be more susceptible to warp due to non-linear shrink. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the appropriate type of nylon for specific applications.
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Nylon's chemical resistance
Nylon is a strong, stiff engineering plastic with excellent bearing and wear properties. It offers excellent resistance to many chemicals, including aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alkalis, greases, fuels, lubricants, and ketones. Its high strength, low friction, and good wear properties make it a versatile and low-cost material for a wide range of applications.
While nylon has outstanding chemical resistance, it is important to note that it is not compatible with all chemicals. Understanding the specific chemical compatibility of nylon is crucial for preventing degradation and ensuring safety in its intended application. For instance, in microfluidic applications, chemical compatibility is essential for maintaining system integrity and performance.
Nylon adapters, in particular, offer good chemical resistance and exceptional tensile and tear strength. However, they may not be suitable for all chemical applications, and a comprehensive understanding of their compatibility is necessary. A chemical compatibility chart or guide can assist in determining if nylon meets the specific chemical resistance requirements of a project.
Nylon resins, such as Nylon 6 and Nylon 66, exhibit excellent resistance to a broad range of chemicals. These resins are commonly used in projects due to their outstanding resistance to aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alkalis, greases, fuels, lubricants, and ketones. However, it is recommended to test moulded parts under actual conditions of use, as stresses in moulded parts may adversely affect chemical resistance test results.
Overall, nylon is a chemically resistant material that performs well across a wide temperature range. Its strength, stiffness, and low friction make it a popular choice for bearings, bushings, gears, and other applications where chemical compatibility and durability are required. However, due diligence is necessary to ensure nylon's compatibility with specific chemicals relevant to its intended use.
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Frequently asked questions
Tensile strength is the measure of a material's ability to withstand being pulled apart by opposing forces.
Nylon has high tensile strength, which can be further enhanced by adding glass fibres.
Reinforced nylon with glass fibres can have up to 70% higher tensile strength than unfilled nylon plastic.
Nylon is strong, stiff, durable, flexible, and has excellent bearing and wear properties. It is also chemical- and damage-resistant.
Nylon plastic is used for bearings and bushings, gears, rollers, sprockets, augers, wear pads, packaging machinery parts, and many other applications.











































