Nylon

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Nylon 6,6
Density	1.15 g/cm3
Electrical conductivity (σ)	10−12 S/m
Thermal conductivity	0.25 W/(m·K)
Melting point	463–624 K 190–350 °C 374–663 °F

Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers with amide backbones, usually linking aliphatic or semi-aromatic groups.

Nylons are white or colorless^[1][2] and soft; some are silk-like.^[3] They are thermoplastic, which means that they can be melt-processed into fibers, films, and diverse shapes.^{[4][5][6]: 2} The properties of nylons are often modified by blending with a wide variety of additives.

Many kinds of nylon are known. One family, designated nylon-XY, is derived from diamines and dicarboxylic acids of carbon chain lengths X and Y, respectively. An important example is nylon-6,6 (C₁₂H₂₂N₂O₂). Another family, designated nylon-Z, is derived from aminocarboxylic acids with carbon chain length Z. An example is nylon-[6].

Nylon polymers have significant commercial applications in fabric and fibers (apparel, flooring and rubber reinforcement), in shapes (molded parts for cars, electrical equipment, etc.), and in films (mostly for food packaging).^[7]