PA6 Heat Stabilized
Grade
also Akulon, Capron
Use for under-hood, motor and appliance parts held above ~100 °C for thousands of hours; copper/organic stabilizers slow oxidative embrittlement.
Values for the Heat Stabilized 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 / 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 |
Heat StabilizedThis page 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 Heat Stabilized?
PA6 Heat Stabilized is PA6 in the Heat Stabilized grade — use for under-hood, motor and appliance parts held above ~100 °C for thousands of hours; copper/organic stabilizers slow oxidative embrittlement. PA6 Heat Stabilized has a yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 84% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 50% and the elastic modulus is 3 GPa (0.435 Msi). PA6 Heat Stabilized 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
- High strength — 75 MPa (10.9 ksi), better than 84% of polymer grades
- Tough — resists crack growth — 3.5 MPa·√m (3.19 ksi·√in), better than 81% 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
PA6 Heat Stabilized properties
Typical room-temperature values for PA6 Heat Stabilized; 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 Heat Stabilized 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 Heat Stabilized has a yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 84% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 50% and the elastic modulus is 3 GPa (0.435 Msi).
Thermal11
PA6 Heat Stabilized is rated for continuous service to 120°C (248 °F). It conducts heat at 0.25 W/m·K (0.144 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 90 µm/m·K (50 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PA6 Heat Stabilized is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (72/100), worse than 70% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PA6 Heat Stabilized 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 Heat Stabilized's machinability is very good (70/100, better than 74% of polymer grades); weldability good (62/100); formability good (60/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with PA6 Heat Stabilized
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 Heat Stabilized — frequently asked
What is PA6 Heat Stabilized used for?
PA6 Heat Stabilized is typically used for automotive gears, pulleys and caster wheels. In short: stiff; wear-resistant.
What is the yield strength of PA6 Heat Stabilized?
PA6 Heat Stabilized has a typical yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 84% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 19 listed tempers.
Is PA6 Heat Stabilized easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (70/100, better than 74% 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 Heat Stabilized be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (62/100). 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 Heat Stabilized?
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 Heat Stabilized 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 Heat Stabilized?
PA6 Heat Stabilized is rated for continuous use to about 120°C (248 °F), and briefly to 170°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in PA6 Heat Stabilized?
Yes — PA6 Heat Stabilized 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.