Lifting the Lid on Nylon 6 and Nylon 66
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
0845 34 54 560 Lifting the lid on Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 @plastribution www.plastribution.co.uk Supply & Demand Supply Supply Differences PA6 – Manufacture Demand The protracted tight supply Demand Whilst Nylon 6 and 66 often Nylon 6 is produced by a splitting a single feedstock, situation for all engineering get talked about together, Caprolactam. The ring structure is opened and then polymers continues along with PA6 PA66 they are quite different. Their polymerised to form the long chain structure. the inevitable consequence chemical structure and supply of price increases. There appears to be some There has been some positive chains are very distinct and small improvements in the news with the upstream this has led to the very specific The problems in the supply supply of base feedstocks, production of ADN; however issues seen in the Nylon 66 of Nylon are especially however PA6 will remain it will take many months market over recent months. critical - here is an extract tight in the short term. Most for the supply chain to be from our monthly report on producers have rolled over replenished. The availability of The following content aims the polymer market called pricing on PA6 for May, but PA66 remains extremely tight to further explain the key price know-how . You can costs will remain high with with no relief expected. Further differences between the two. access price know-how by no reductions anticipated price increases into May are subscribing to our content for the foreseeable future. forecast, as supply is very Hub at: www.plastribution. tight and demand still strong Polyamides (Nylon) PA66 – Manufacture co.uk/knowhow-hub even with two bank holidays. Nylon (PA) 6 & 66 are both Nylon 66 is produced using 2 feedstocks - synthetic polymers called Adipdic Acid & Hexamethylene Diamine. polyamides, with the numbers referring to the quantity of carbon atoms in the repeat units. Nylons are semi crystalline polymers characterised by their toughness and rigidity (especially glass fibre filled), excellent wear and chemical resistance. Nylon – Key properties Nylon - things to consider PA6 vs. PA66 To find out more about the differences between Nylon Good balance of Moisture Sensitivity PA6 has higher impact strength than PA66 6 & 66 and how they might properties (strength, affect your product or Dimensional instability PA66 has higher heat resistance than PA6 stiffness and toughness) business, please contact Narrow processing window our technical manger dan. Wear resistance [email protected]. (best of all thermoplastics) Long cycle times Also, if you require support Good long term Drying required for in overcoming the current temperature resistance successful processing (CH ) (CH ) n 2 6 2 4 supply issues in the engineering Low CoF Attacked by strong acids Nylon 66 polymers market please contact engineering@ Impact Strength Poor UV Resistance plastribution.co.uk or sales@ (unfilled + conditioned) plastribution.co.uk. High Stiffness (glass filled) n Chemical Resistance (particularly auto fluids) Nylon 6 Temperature resistance Inherent FR PA66 – The Pressure Grows The situation and problems Of course, some of this has An increase from May was surrounding nylon 66 have been the key producers widely expected on the back been well documented over ‘restoring’ margins and could of tight supply and strong recent months, however be seen as opportunistic, but demand which had pushed it now seems that the the reality is that the price spot prices well above May issues may well get worse increases have been large levels, and this, combined before they get better? and numerous and overall the with higher upstream market now looks very different naphtha costs means that The inexorable rise in prices to where it was 2 years ago. BD prices will almost certainly started back in early 2016, continue to rise still further. predominantly on the back The latest information is that of increasing demand and butadiene is once again Where all this ends up is higher costs for other similar rising in cost very rapidly in anyone’s guess? However polymers and shared raw Far East and US markets with the very real possibility now materials. Since then, the Europe not far behind. For is that with the PA66 market market has seen numerous instance last week it was ‘overheating’ many users and price rises as well as Force reported that the European specifiers may well be forced Majeures for both PA66 butadiene (BD) contract to ‘down spec’ applications base polymer and key raw price for June has been wherever possible, with the materials such as adipic acid, agreed at €1,150/tonne, up major winners potentially being butadiene (BD), acrylonitrile by €140/tonne from May. This for example nylon 6 and/ (AN), hexamethylene diamine is the highest contract price or higher performance PP (HMD) and adiponitrile (ADN). settlement since June 2017. grades. Whatever happens it continues to be a very interesting time for nylon 66..