Polyamide (PA, Nylon) 6
PA 6 is a thermoplastic, further classified as a polyamide (or Nylon) plastic.
The properties of PA 6 include eight common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare PA 6 to: polyamide plastics (top), all thermoplastics (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
1.1 to 16 GPa 0.16 to 2.3 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
2.5 to 67 %
Flexural Modulus
1.2 to 14 GPa 0.17 to 2.0 x 106 psi
Flexural Strength
40 to 230 MPa 5.8 to 34 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
35 to 210 MPa 5.1 to 31 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Glass Transition Temperature
40 °C 100 °F
Maximum Temperature: Autoignition
430 °C 810 °F
Maximum Temperature: Decomposition
430 °C 800 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
230 °C 450 °F
Other Material Properties
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity) At 1 MHz
3.3 to 5.0
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential)
10 to 30 kV/mm 0.39 to 1.2 V/mil
Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI)
24 %
Followup Questions
Further Reading
SPI Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., 5th ed., Michael L. Berins (editor), 2000
Modern Plastics Handbook, Charles A. Harper (editor), 1999
Plastics Materials, 7th ed., J. A. Brydson, 1999