Thermoplastic comparison
Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6) vs PBT (polybutylene terephthalate)
Every value below is a typical room-temperature figure with its source, test method and conditions — the same dataset that drives the calculators.
| Property | Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6) | PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.13 g/cm³ | 1.31 g/cm³ | PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) — 16% higher |
| Young's modulus E | 2.8 GPa | 2.6 GPa | Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6) — 8% higher |
| Tensile strength | 78 MPa | 55 MPa | Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6) — 42% higher |
| Glass transition Tg | 50 °C | 45 °C | Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6) — 5 °C higher |
| Melting point Tm | 220 °C | 225 °C | PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) — 5 °C higher |
Where these numbers come from
- Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed.
- CAMPUS plastics database — typical grade datasheet values (campusplastics.com)
Typical room-temperature values for learning and preliminary design; grades vary widely and a supplier datasheet always overrides a textbook figure. Confirm against the datasheet before design work.