Nylon 6 Vs Nylon 66: Differences Explained

Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 are both commonly used synthetic polymers known as polyamides.The numbers represent the amount and variant of the carbon atoms in the chemical structure from which they are formed.For example:Nylon 6 is created from caprolactam, which consists of 6 carbon atoms, while nylon 66 is produced from adipic acid, which has 6, and hexamethylene diamine, which also has 6.Most nylons, including 6 and 66 are semi-crystalline and possess good strength and durability and are ideal for demanding projects.

Nylon 66 was discovered at the Du Pont Company in the 1930s, giving the world the first synthetic fibre.This was quickly introduced into the commercial arena and became the backbone of the new synthetic fibre industry.Following this in 1939, nylon 6 as it was to be known, was created in Germany by Paul Schlack.Both fibres have become highly important in today’s fibre trade, and their uses and applications continue to be discovered and improved.

Most notable of these distinctions is mould shrinkage.Nylon 6’s lower mould shrinkage gives more assurity of accurate dimensions for all manufactured goods.Whereas the greater mould shrinkage of Nylon 66 means that when it is exposed to cooler air in solidification, its material shape will have more susceptibility to alteration after processing, which must be factored in.Other highly relevant differences are their relative water absorption rate and heat deflection values.Nylon 6 has higher water absorption and lower heat deflection temperature, and as such is less suited to applications where high-temperature water is present.