Overview of Polyamide (Nylon) including background, history, advantages, limitations and typical applications.

Background: Polyamide (Nylon) polymer was first commercially introduced by DuPont as a result of the significant research work of W. H. Carothers in the 1930s, who was conducting early extensive research efforts in polyesters and polyamides. The first important polyamide was Nylon 66 produced by the reaction of adipic acid (a 6-carbon dibasic acid) and hexamethylene diamine (a 6-carbon aliphatic diamine). Several structural modifications with differing temperature capabilities have become commercially available including Nylon 46, 610, 612, 6, 11, etc.