PA6 ESD/Conductive
Additive grade
also Akulon, Capron
For electronics handling trays, fuel-system parts and explosion-risk areas needing controlled surface resistivity.
Values for the ESD/Conductive condition
Other PA6 grades and fills
PA6 is listed in 19 conditions; see the grade overview at PA6.
- Impact Modified
- MoS2 Cond
- PTFE/Oil Lubricated
- ESD/Conductive
- Heat Stabilized
- Extruded
- MoS2 Filled
- FR V-0
- MoS2 Dry
- Cast (PA6 G)
- Mineral Filled
- Forward AM Ultrasint PA6 MF
- GF15
- GF20
- GF30
- GF40
- CF20
- GF50
- CF30
Compare all 19 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
rubber-toughened / super-tough PA6 | Select for snap-fits, cold-impact parts and thin living hinges where notched toughness at low temperature is the driver. | 45 | 50 | 150 | 105 HRR |
MoS2 Filled | Molybdenum-disulfide-filled PA6 at 50% RH moisture equilibrium: water plasticization roughly halves stiffness and strength while sharply raising ductility and notched impact. | 52 | 58 | 100 | 76 Shore D |
PTFE / oil-filled lubricated bearing grade | Pick for lowest coefficient of friction and highest allowable sliding speed in unlubricated bearings, at the cost of some strength. | 62 | 65 | 25 | 80 Shore D |
ESD/ConductiveThis page ESD / conductive compound (carbon black or CF/CNT) | For electronics handling trays, fuel-system parts and explosion-risk areas needing controlled surface resistivity. | 68 | 70 | 15 | 82 Shore D |
long-term thermal aging resistant | Use for under-hood, motor and appliance parts held above ~100 °C for thousands of hours; copper/organic stabilizers slow oxidative embrittlement. | 75 | 80 | 50 | 81 Shore D |
PA6 rod/plate/tube (semi-finished) | Pick when the part is machined from stock: extruded PA6 rod/plate offers uniform crystallinity and good machining behaviour. | 78 | 80 | 40 | 82 Shore D |
Molybdenum disulfide lubricated bearing grade | Use for dry-running bushings, wear strips and gears: MoS2 nucleates finer crystals, giving higher stiffness, better wear and lower creep than natural PA6. | — | 80 | 20 | 88 HRM |
Flame retardant, UL 94 V-0 rated | Required for electrical enclosures, connectors and breaker parts needing V-0 at 0.75–1.6 mm; halogen-free (red P / N-P) or brominated versions available. | — | 80 | 8 | — |
MoS2 Filled | Molybdenum-disulfide-nucleated PA6 tested dry-as-molded: highest stiffness and strength, lower toughness than the moisture-conditioned state. | 82 | 84 | 25 | 82 Shore D |
Cast nylon 6 | Use for large-diameter rods, thick plate, big gears and wear pads — higher crystallinity gives more stiffness, creep resistance and better wear than extruded PA6. | — | 82 | 25 | 88 HRM |
low-warp, paintable | Use where isotropic shrinkage, flat surfaces and Class-A paintability matter more than peak strength (covers, trim, mirror housings). | 88 | 90 | 5 | 85 Shore D |
SLS powder | — | — | 91 | 2.1 | — |
15% short glass fiber reinforced | Light reinforcement when moderate stiffness gain is wanted with good surface finish and low warpage. | — | 115 | 6 | — |
20% short glass fiber reinforced | Balanced stiffness/toughness reinforcement for housings, brackets and covers. | — | 140 | 4.5 | — |
30% short glass fiber reinforced | The workhorse structural PA6 grade: best strength/stiffness per cost for gears, pump bodies, power-tool housings and metal-replacement brackets. | — | 180 | 3.5 | 95 HRM |
40% short glass fiber reinforced | High-stiffness structural grade for load-bearing parts and metal replacement where warpage and anisotropy are acceptable. | — | 205 | 3 | — |
20% short carbon fiber reinforced | Choose for lightweight stiff parts with static-dissipative behaviour and lower warpage/wear than glass at the same modulus. | — | 210 | 2.2 | — |
50% short glass fiber reinforced | Maximum-stiffness PA6 compound for highly loaded, dimensionally demanding parts; abrasive to tooling and prone to fiber-rich surfaces. | — | 230 | 2.5 | — |
30% short carbon fiber reinforced | Highest specific stiffness PA6 compound; conductive/ESD-safe and low wear, but costly and highly anisotropic. | — | 255 | 1.8 | — |
What is PA6 ESD/Conductive?
PA6 ESD/Conductive is PA6 in the ESD/Conductive grade — for electronics handling trays, fuel-system parts and explosion-risk areas needing controlled surface resistivity. PA6 ESD/Conductive has a yield strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) and a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) — stronger than 77% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 3.5 GPa (0.508 Msi). PA6 ESD/Conductive has a density of 1.14 g/cm³ (0.0412 lb/in³), lighter than 60% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 58°C (136 °F).
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 0.35 W/m·K (0.202 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 91% of polymer grades
- Stiff — 3.5 GPa (0.508 Msi), better than 83% of polymer grades
- Tough — resists crack growth — 3.5 MPa·√m (3.19 ksi·√in), better than 81% of polymer grades
- High strength — 68 MPa (9.86 ksi), better than 77% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 1.7%, worse than 94% of polymer grades
- High embodied carbon — 7.6 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 81% of polymer grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 70/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades
PA6 ESD/Conductive properties
Typical room-temperature values for PA6 ESD/Conductive; 23 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are PA6 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
PA6 ESD/Conductive has a density of 1.14 g/cm³ (0.0412 lb/in³), lighter than 60% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 58°C (136 °F).
Mechanical17
PA6 ESD/Conductive has a yield strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) and a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) — stronger than 77% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 15% and the elastic modulus is 3.5 GPa (0.508 Msi).
Thermal11
PA6 ESD/Conductive is rated for continuous service to 90°C (194 °F). It conducts heat at 0.35 W/m·K (0.202 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 91% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 90 µm/m·K (50 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PA6 ESD/Conductive is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PA6 ESD/Conductive takes about 125 MJ of energy and emits 7.6 kg of CO₂ — more than 75% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability8
PA6 ESD/Conductive's machinability is good (68/100, better than 71% of polymer grades); weldability fair (50/100); formability good (60/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PA6 ESD/Conductive
Is PA6 easy to machine?
Machines easily with sharp positive-rake tools, high speed and low feed; stress-relieve thick stock and expect elastic spring-back plus dimensional drift as the part picks up moisture (glass/CF grades are abrasive—use carbide or PCD).
Can PA6 be welded?
Readily joined by ultrasonic, hot-plate, spin, vibration and hot-gas welding; adhesive bonding needs plasma/primer pretreatment, and the resin must be dry (<0.15% moisture) before any heat joining.
Can PA6 be formed, bent or molded?
Dry pellets to <0.10% water, mold at 250–280 °C melt / 60–100 °C tool with fast injection; account for 0.8–1.8% shrinkage (0.2–0.6% in GF grades) and post-condition in water or humid air for final dimensions.
What surface finishes work on PA6?
Takes dyeing, printing and paint well after flame/plasma or primer treatment; can be electroplated with etch pretreatment, and MoS2/graphite grades polish to a low-friction bearing surface.
PA6 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| heat/light stabilizer + lubricant packagtypical additive load in commercial grades | 0.1 – 1.5 | 0.5 |
| glass fiber0 in default; 15–50 wt% in GF variants | 0 – 50 | 0 |
| carbon fiberCF20/CF30 variants | 0 – 30 | 0 |
| MoS2bearing (Nylatron-type) variants | 0 – 2 | 0 |
| residual caprolactam monomer/oligomerextractables in as-polymerized resin | 0 – 1 | 0.5 |
| polycaprolactam (PA6 from ε-caprolactam)base resin; unfilled default grade | balance | — |
PA6 ESD/Conductive — frequently asked
What is PA6 ESD/Conductive used for?
PA6 ESD/Conductive is typically used for automotive gears, pulleys and caster wheels. In short: stiff; wear-resistant.
What is the yield strength of PA6 ESD/Conductive?
PA6 ESD/Conductive has a typical yield strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) and a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) — stronger than 77% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 19 listed tempers.
Is PA6 ESD/Conductive easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (68/100, better than 71% of polymer grades). Machines easily with sharp positive-rake tools, high speed and low feed; stress-relieve thick stock and expect elastic spring-back plus dimensional drift as the part picks up moisture (glass/CF grades are abrasive—use carbide or PCD).
Can PA6 ESD/Conductive be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (50/100). Readily joined by ultrasonic, hot-plate, spin, vibration and hot-gas welding; adhesive bonding needs plasma/primer pretreatment, and the resin must be dry (<0.15% moisture) before any heat joining.
What surface finishes work on PA6 ESD/Conductive?
Takes dyeing, printing and paint well after flame/plasma or primer treatment; can be electroplated with etch pretreatment, and MoS2/graphite grades polish to a low-friction bearing surface.
Can PA6 ESD/Conductive be formed, bent or molded?
Dry pellets to <0.10% water, mold at 250–280 °C melt / 60–100 °C tool with fast injection; account for 0.8–1.8% shrinkage (0.2–0.6% in GF grades) and post-condition in water or humid air for final dimensions.
What is the maximum service temperature of PA6 ESD/Conductive?
PA6 ESD/Conductive is rated for continuous use to about 90°C (194 °F), and briefly to 150°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in PA6 ESD/Conductive?
Yes — PA6 ESD/Conductive is available for CNC machining, sheet metal and injection molding with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ISO 1874-1/-2 Plastics — Polyamide (PA) moulding and extrusion materials — ISO (2010)
- ASTM D4066 Standard Classification System for Nylon Injection and Extrusion Materials — ASTM (2019)
- Ultramid B (PA6) product range data — BASF (2023)
- Tecamid 6 / Tecamid 6 GF30 stock shape datasheets — Ensinger (2023)
- Forward AM Ultrasint PA6 MF — Technical Data Sheet — Forward AM
- Ertalon 6 SA, Nylatron GS/NSM datasheets — Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (2022)
- CAMPUS plastics datasheet collection (PA6, PA6-GF15…GF50) — CWFG / CAMPUS (2024)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.