Nylon Corp. of America Inc. (Nycoa) is heading to NPE2024 after what officials are calling the firm's transformation into a specialty nylon company.
Manchester, N.H.-based Nycoa (S34115) recently introduced three new long-chain nylon resins and has started up new polymerization lines in Manchester. In a news release, officials said the firm, which has supplied nylon resins and compounds since 1957, "is reinventing itself by taking its material development and manufacturing know-how to a new level."
Officials said the new production capacity in Manchester "ensures a dedicated future supply of new long-chain nylon products" for a range of markets, including transportation, industrial and sporting goods.
"We've responded to the needs of the market, and we're excited about the new path we've carved out in the specialty nylons segment," Carlos Restrepo, business development vice president, said in the release.
"Our mission is simply to be a best-in-class supplier who can cost-effectively fill critical supply gaps for the domestic market," he added. Nycoa also has invested in research and development and increased staff significantly in Manchester.
The new manufacturing capacity will be used to make the new specialty nylon 6/10 and 6/12 grades. The new materials are engineered long-chain nylons that officials said deliver "significant performance features and a unique balance of properties" compared with short-chain materials such as nylon 6 and 6/6.
The new products are a drop-in replacement for competitive materials. Officials added the new materials offer better dimensional stability and lower moisture absorption. The nylon 6/10 material also can meet sustainability goals by using a renewable raw material. All of the new materials can be used in multiple processes, including injection, extrusion, blow molding, tubing and rotational molding.
The new products include NXTamid L, a nylon product family that officials said meets or exceeds the performance of nylon 12 and nylon 11. Compared with nylon 12, NXTamid L features higher service temperature and low extractables. The new material also delivers sustainability benefits with a bio-based composition of 25-60 percent.
Other new materials are in Nycoa's NY-Flex elastomeric line of engineered nylons, which officials said encompass a variety of chemistries, including random copolymer alloys and polyether block copolymers (PEBA). The NY-Flex line provides superior flexibility, low material weight and high-impact toughness in rubber replacement applications, officials said.
Nycoa also has developed amorphous nylons under the NY-Clear brand name. These materials are high-performance nylons that offer higher temperature resistance, lower moisture absorption and better retention of properties compared with nylon 6 and nylon 6/6.
Officials said amorphous nylons are known for their excellent dimensional stability, low creep at elevated temperatures and good chemical resistance compared with many high-performance engineering plastics. NY-Clear can be used in flexible food packaging requiring high strength, stiffness and hydrolysis resistance.