Nylon 6 additives

[Mikey2]

Hey guys,

I have an electrical component made from Nylon 6 and i'm trying to determine what additives were utalized. An FTIR scan showed nothing out of the ordinary for Nylon 6. Thinking metal oxides may have been used, i did an x-ray analysis and my results were...
48% Al2O3
30% MgO
14% SiO2
8% Na2O
I don't deal with polymers to often, so i'm trying to figure out if these are typical additives for Nylon 6 under elevated temps.

From what i have read, phosphines are typically used for elevated temps and sometimes mica powder is used. I'd just like a second opinion on these results or if there is a better way of detecting these.

Thanks guys,
-Mikey

 

[CoryPad]

The mixed oxides you report are common to glass, which is a common additive for polymers. How did you obtain both phase (not just elemental) identification and concentrations? X-ray diffraction can tell you the former, but usually not the latter.

Regards,

Cory

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[Mikey2]

Sorry about that... EDS as in energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The software has options to quantitatively detect just the elements or you can have it search for oxides. It gives atomic%, wieght %, and normalized which i what i listed.

Thanks for the reply,
-Mikey

 

[CoryPad]

How does it determine to what atoms the oxygen is bonded? What company's detector and software are you using?

Regards,

Cory

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[Mikey2]

Cory,

We have the WINEDS software hooked up to a Tracer North detector on our SEM. I don't know how exactly the software does it, but ours will generate your normal EDS spectra. You can then identify your peaks through thier respective energy levels. To do a quantitative analysis it gives you the option of searching for either elemental values, or metal oxides.

To answer your question though... or rather not answer it, i don't exactly know how it can tell what is bonded to what. Sorry

- Mikey

 

[Demon3]

These programs give you the amount of each element assuming it's the oxide I believe. It may not be the oxide at all and it also won't detect lower atomic mass elements. Those are details though. As you guessed it looks to me like a glass fibre mix with an alumino silicate like muscovite mica

http://www.webmineral.com/data/Muscovite.shtml

or

http://www.webmineral.com/data/Phlogopite.shtml

 

[patprimmer]

Copper salts are the most common heat stabilisers (anti oxidants) used in Nylon 6, the most common of these being copper iodide. You can see this in uncoloured polymer by the olive green tinge it imparts.

Copper sulfate may be used where a cleaner base colour is thought to be desirable.

If high dielectric strength is required, proprietary antioxidants are used.


Glass fibre is very commonly used to improve flex mod and heat deflection temperature, but it can cause warpage in moulding. If warpage is a problem, mica or wollastonite can be used, but they are not nearly as effective as reinforcements due to the lower aspect ratio.


Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[willemsma]

If it contains Glass fibres you should be able to see them with your scanning electron microscope.

 

[patprimmer]

You should be able to see glass fibres with a magnifying glass or even possibly with the naked eye.

Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.