Polyamides (PA6,PA 66, PA11, PA12, PA46, PPA), also known as Nylon, are considered one of the most versatile engineering plastics with a very wide range of applications. Nylons are thermoplastics composed of macromolecules with repeating units linked by amide bonds. When reinforced with glass fibers, polyamides are so resilient that they can be used as a metal replacement. Polyamides are known for their high strength, stiffness, and toughness, making them suitable for applications that require high mechanical strength and durability. They also have good abrasion resistance and low friction properties, which makes them suitable for applications that require wear resistance.

The history of polyamides, also known as Nylon, dates back to the late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1935, Wallace H. Carothers and his team of researchers at DuPont laboratory in the United States developed Nylon 6,6, the first commercial polyamide. They discovered that by reacting a specific type of acid and alcohol, they were able to create a new polymer that had a high strength, stiffness and toughness. Nylon 6,6 was first used to make toothbrush bristles, but it quickly found many other uses such as women’s stockings, which became widely popular during World War II when silk was in short supply. In the following years, DuPont and other companies developed other types of nylons with different properties and characteristics, such as Nylon 6, Nylon 11, and Nylon 12. These new nylons found applications in a wide range of industries such as automotive, aerospace and engineering due to their high strength and durability.

Today, Nylon is one of the most widely used engineering plastics in the world, and it is available in various grades, each tailored to specific applications with different properties and characteristics.