Nylon 6 (PA6)
The versatile engineering polyamide behind textile fibre, wear-resistant mechanical parts and automotive components — valued for its toughness, abrasion resistance and ease of processing.
Chelora Chemicals supplies Nylon 6 resin to fibre spinners, moulders and film extruders worldwide, with full documentation and consistent pellet quality on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 25038-54-4
- Polymer family
- Engineering polyamide
- Monomer
- Caprolactam
- Melting point
- 215-218.3 °C
- Glass transition (Tg)
- ~47 °C
- Density
- 1.084-1.14 g/mL
- Autoignition temp
- 434 °C
- HS Code
- 3908 10*
* Confirm the current HS classification and import regulatory status for your destination with your own regulatory affairs team.
What Nylon 6 (PA6) is used for
Nylon 6, or Polyamide 6 (PA6), is a semi-crystalline engineering polyamide supplied to converters as dried pellet. It is produced from a single monomer, caprolactam, by ring-opening polymerisation — a simpler route than the two-monomer condensation chemistry used for Nylon 6,6. The result is a polymer prized for its toughness, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance and ease of melt processing.
PA6's two broad use families are textile and carpet fibre (melt-spun into yarn and filament for apparel, hosiery and carpet) and engineering/moulding resin (injection moulded, often glass-fibre reinforced, into automotive components such as intake manifolds, gears and bushings, industrial mechanical parts such as bearings and rollers, and extruded into packaging film). It is also used for fishing line and rope, and in 3D-printing filament.
Grades and processing routes
- General-purpose injection grade for moulded mechanical and structural parts.
- Glass-fibre-reinforced grades (typically 15-50% glass) for higher stiffness and dimensional stability in automotive and industrial parts.
- Fibre/filament grade optimised for melt-spinning into textile and carpet yarn.
- Film grade optimised for extrusion into barrier packaging film.
Handling character
Nylon 6 resin pellet is not classified as hazardous under GHS for normal handling and use. As with any engineering thermoplastic, fine dust from machining and molten polymer during processing present handling considerations addressed through standard practice — see the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Translucent to opaque dried pellet |
| Relative viscosity | Per grade (fibre to engineering grade) |
| Moisture content | < 0.2% after drying |
| Glass-fibre content | 0-50% depending on grade |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis / technical data sheet is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Semi-crystalline thermoplastic pellet |
| Melting point | 215-218.3 °C |
| Glass transition (Tg) | ~47 °C |
| Density | 1.084-1.14 g/mL |
| Moisture absorption | Hygroscopic, up to 2.4% — requires drying before melt processing |
| Autoignition temperature | 434 °C |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for Nylon 6 (CAS 25038-54-4) and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this resin to work
A versatile engineering polyamide spanning textile fibre, automotive and industrial mechanical parts.
Textile & carpet fibre
Melt-spun into yarn and filament for apparel, hosiery, upholstery and carpet.
- Fibre-grade specification
- Bulk & bag supply
- Technical desk review on request
Automotive components
Injection moulded, often glass-fibre reinforced, into intake manifolds, gears, bushings and under-hood parts.
- Glass-fibre-reinforced grades
- Documented batch traceability
- Contract & spot supply
Industrial mechanical parts
Moulded into bearings, rollers, bushings and fasteners valued for wear and chemical resistance.
- Full analytical documentation available
- Retained sample held against the lot
- Technical desk review on request
Packaging film
Extruded into barrier packaging film for food and industrial applications.
- Film-grade specification
- Documented batch traceability
- Technical desk review on request
Fishing line, rope & filament
Extruded into fishing line, rope and 3D-printing filament valued for toughness and abrasion resistance.
- Research & process-scale quantities
- Full documentation supplied
- Technical desk review on request
Contract & scheduled supply
Converters running continuous consumption are supported with scheduled bulk delivery.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Nylon 6 (PA6)
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. Consistent viscosity and low moisture content are critical to spinning and moulding quality — that shapes how we manage this line.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your required grade, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm your jurisdiction's import and application-specific requirements before booking.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your production problem.
- Relative viscosity and moisture confirmed before we quote. Consistency matters to downstream spinning and moulding quality.
- Automotive and industrial compliance managed end to end. Documentation confirmed before booking.
- Moisture-barrier packaging specified. Pellet shipped dried and sealed to minimise re-absorption in transit.
- Scheduled call-off scheduling. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Classification, approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
Packed the way your plant receives it
Bag, octabin or bulk — tell us your preferred format and we will quote and classify to it.
25 kg moisture-barrier bags
Sealed bags sized for converter order volumes and manual handling.
Bulk octabin (~1 tonne)
Lined octabins for high-volume moulding and spinning lines, reducing bag-handling labour.
Large-volume bulk shipment
Hopper-truck or flexible container-liner bulk shipment for continuous-consumption plants.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for process trials before a commercial order is placed.
Contracted call-off supply
We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
Not classified as hazardous — standard housekeeping applies
Nylon 6 resin pellet does not carry GHS hazard classification for normal handling and use. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet and technical data sheet supplied with your specific batch are the authoritative documents.
Handling considerations
DUSTFine dust generated during machining or regrind can present a combustible-dust hazard.THERMMolten polymer during processing presents a thermal burn hazard; standard PPE applies at extrusion/moulding equipment.MOISTHighly hygroscopic (up to 2.4% moisture uptake) — undried resin causes processing defects (hydrolytic degradation, foaming) rather than a safety hazard.IGNITAutoignition temperature of 434 °C — keep away from open flame and hot surfaces during processing.
No GHS pictogram or signal word applies to this product in pellet form. Always read the SDS/TDS issued with your specific batch and follow standard combustible-dust housekeeping practice where fines are generated.
Storage
Store in sealed, moisture-barrier packaging in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight and ignition sources to prevent moisture pickup before processing.
Handling
Use standard dust-extraction and housekeeping practice where regrind or fines are generated. Dry resin to the specified moisture content before melt processing to avoid hydrolytic degradation, foaming and surface defects.
Transport
Not regulated as dangerous goods for transport. Standard commercial packing and documentation apply; we confirm exact requirements for your specific shipment and destination.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Relative viscosity, moisture content and grade confirmed against your process requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, TDS and transport paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How Nylon 6 is made
Nylon 6 is produced industrially by the ring-opening polymerisation of caprolactam, a long-established route in polyamide chemistry, followed by extraction and drying to the required processing grade.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Polymer family | Engineering polyamide |
|---|---|
| Monomer input | Caprolactam (single monomer, ring-opening polymerisation) |
| Processing routes | Melt-spinning (fibre), injection moulding, extrusion (film) |
| Related materials | Nylon 6,6 (condensation-route polyamide), PET resin, ABS resin |
Explore the wider resin range
Nylon 6 (PA6), answered
What is Nylon 6 (PA6) used for?
How does Nylon 6 differ from Nylon 6,6?
Is Nylon 6 (PA6) hazardous?
What grade do you supply?
What packing do you offer?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
- Need a related resin? See our PET Resin and Polycarbonate pages.
Get a quote on Nylon 6 (PA6) today
Send us your required grade, pack size and delivery window. We will come back with a firm quote, lead time and full documentation.