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NYCOA launches sustainable plasticiser-free long-chain polyamides

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Nylon Corporation of America, Inc. (NYCOA), a custom manufacturer of engineered nylon resins announced the launch of NXTamid L, a proprietary long-chain polyamide as a replacement for PA11 and PA12 in various applications. The company will highlight their new plasticiser-free and sustainable material at NPE 2024 May 6-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

NYCOA has collaborated with some of the largest end users of long-chain polyamide resins to develop an alternate solution which offers several advantages over the traditionally imported resins. Over the decades, OEMs and processors have been forced to rely on imports from Europe and Asia which not only carry costly tariffs but have also been affected by shortages and supply chain disruptions.

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Depending on the application, NXTamid L delivers performance that is equivalent or better than traditional PA12 and PA11 resins, while also offering a broad range of customization options. The material has a higher service temperature than PA12 while offering a great degree of flexibility and chemical resistance. It is also more sustainable with some grades having bio content exceeding 50% of the material composition.

“Our customers approached us looking for alternate solutions every time there was a shortage or supply disruption of long-chain polyamides in the North American market,” said Bill Baker, vice president of sales for NYCOA. “We’ve responded to our customers’ needs and that of the market with an innovative solution that is not only a performance equivalent but also versatile and sustainable. Domestic OEMs and processors can now be assured of stable supply to meet their production needs for various transportation, sporting goods, and industrial applications.”

The biggest advantage of NXTamid L is that customers have an option to go completely plasticiser-free without compromising on mechanical properties. Plasticisers such as BBSA (N-Butyl Benzene Sulfonamide) are widely used by resin manufacturers and compounders to influence properties of base nylon resins to make them softer. The plasticisers being of lower molecular weight tend to migrate out during compounding/processing and well beyond during their service life especially at higher temperatures. This migration causes a change in the material’s mechanical behavior as the plasticiser migrates out of the polymer, making it stiffer and also causing premature wear of seals and gaskets in the tubing industry.

Additionally, the plasticiser itself has raised environmental and health concerns. NXTamid L offers a plasticiser-free solution resulting in better long-term stability compared to other plasticised long-chain polyamides. NYCOA has received strong traction from multiple customers looking for next-generation plasticiser-free alternates, according to Baker. Plasticiser-free NXTamid L grades are already being supplied to multiple customers in commercial quantities.

Some of the other benefits of NXTamid L are higher melting temperatures, lower moisture absorption, and better dimensional stability than PA12 and PA11. The material’s dimensional stability is another important characteristic that differentiates it from short-chain nylons such as PA6 and PA66. It has excellent chemical resistance to various alcohols, industrial chemicals, and zinc chloride, making it ideal for the transportation and tubing markets.

NYCOA’s NXTamid L portfolio consists of grades designed and optimised for various applications and processing technologies such as injection moulding, extrusion, rotomoulding, and blow moulding.

NYCOA also notes significant environmental benefits of sourcing material locally in North America. Studies have indicated that resin produced domestically can help save a significant amount of shipping related carbon emissions over those materials produced and shipped by sea from Europe and Asia.

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