Nylon, one of the most widely used engineering thermoplastics, is an extremely versatile engineering plastic. An excellent combination of mechanical performance (toughness, low coefficient of friction, and good abrasion resistance) and cost make Nylon an ideal replacement for a wide variety of materials from metal to rubber. There are many nylon grades available; the most common are Nylon 6/6 (extruded) and Nylon 6 (cast).
Nylon 6/6 is very easy to modify with fillers, fibers, internal lubricants, and impact modifiers. Glass Filled nylon Variants of this nylon exhibit increased structural and impact strength, and rigidity. The addition of glass fibers to nylon 6/6 in various amounts (10%, 20%, 30% and 40%) increases tensile strength, stiffness, compressive strength, and a lower thermal expansion coefficient over conventional unfilled grades. Glass filled nylons offer better strength than general purpose nylon but it is highly abrasive and will abrade or gall mating surfaces.
A large number of formulations for nylon, i.e., Kevlar® filled, lubricant filled, and molybdenum-disulfide filled grades, and variants within these grades such as FDA compliant, heat stabilized, impact modified are available to match specific application demands. Contact an Emco Industrial Plastics representative who can help you choose the correct material to meet the needs of your application.