High Performance Polyamides in Demanding Automotive Thermal Management Applications

High Performance Polyamides (HPPA) represent a fast growing family of polymers, with broad applicability in demanding applications where traditional materials such as nylon 66 are not suitable. This paper reviews the basic chemistry of the nylon product family, demonstrates how the HPPA family differs from standard nylon with a focus on semi-aromatic nylons known as polyphthalamides (PPA). We will demonstrate how PPA is an excellent candidate for thermal management applications where traditional polyamides are not suitable via specific performance data measured at the lab scale, along with commercial applications that provide validation of HPPA use.