Technical moulded parts
Thin-walled technical parts such as housings, fittings, grips, small parts and fixing clamps.
AI
Polyamide 6 (PA 6)
Polyamide 6 (polycaprolactam) is a semi-crystalline engineering plastic made from caprolactam – for injection-moulded parts, films, fibres and monofilaments; it absorbs moisture and is processed dry.
PA 6 at a glance
Guide values from manufacturer data sheets and technical literature. They vary by grade, additives and manufacturer – the data sheet of the individual material is decisive. The identification number under Decision 97/129/EC is a voluntary identification system for packaging materials.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Repeating unit | –[NH–(CH₂)₅–CO]– |
| Identification number (Decision 97/129/EC) | no dedicated number (numbers 7–19 are not assigned to a material) |
| Density | unreinforced approx. 1.12–1.14 g/cm³ |
| Crystalline melting range | approx. 215–225 °C |
| Structure | semi-crystalline |
| Moisture absorption | at 23 °C and 50 % RH approx. 2.7–3.2 %, at saturation approx. 9–10 %; moisture makes PA 6 softer and tougher (unreinforced, e.g. tensile modulus 3,200 MPa dry, 1,000 MPa conditioned) |
| Typical processing | injection moulding and extrusion (films, semi-finished products, pipes, profiles, sheets, monofilaments); dry before processing |
Typical applications of PA 6
Films
Extruded films.
Fibres and monofilaments
Fibres and monofilaments, for example for fishing nets.
Wire and cable
Wire and cable applications.
Semi-finished products
Pipes, profiles and sheets.
Recycling of PA 6
- Depolymerisation: PA 6 can be chemically broken down into its monomer caprolactam. In Ljubljana, Aquafil processes fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpets and industrial nylon waste into caprolactam this way (ECONYL®).
- Mechanical recycling: Used fishing nets are also a source of mechanically recycled PA 6, for example at Envalior (Akulon RePurposed).
- Drying: Manufacturers specify dry processing (e.g. 80–120 °C for 4–8 h or 80 °C for 2–6 h). Moisture content is therefore one of the parameters tested for a PA 6 recyclate.
PA 6 recyclates with plastship
plastship is a distributor of recycled plastics. The starting point of every sourcing project is not the material – but your application.
Recyclate supply
We clarify processing, product specification, acceptable variations and regulatory requirements, and on that basis define suitable recyclate qualities, feedstocks and supply concepts.
Laboratory services
Physical, mechanical and optical testing, odour and polymer composition – including melt flow rate (MFR), density, moisture and ash content, tensile testing, Charpy impact strength and the identification of foreign polymers.
Material quality
A structured evaluation makes recyclate quality transparent – as a basis for decisions in application, sourcing and compliance.
plastship Monitored Materials
Quality scoring on a scale from 0 to 10 points across mechanics, optics, odour and polymer purity – with material benchmark and certificate of quality.
Digital material search
Search and compare recyclates by application-specific criteria, with access to quality-relevant material data.
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More polymers
Polyethylene (PE)
Semi-crystalline polyolefin for films, bottles, crates and pipes.
Polypropylene (PP)
Chemical-resistant polyolefin for packaging, fibres and moulded parts.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Durable thermoplastic for profiles, pipes, flooring and cables.
Polystyrene (PS)
Amorphous thermoplastic for packaging, housings and insulation foam.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Polyester for beverage bottles, packaging, films and fibres.
All polymers
The six polymer pages at a glance.