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Nylon Tubing
Medical nylon tubing in nylon 6, 6,6, 11 and 12, Pebax and Vestamid, extruded to your print for catheters that need pushability and pressure resistance.
Why nylon tubing works so well in medical devices
Nylon was invented in 1931, and it has been a staple of catheter design for decades. Nylons offer corrosion and abrasion resistance, light weight, lubricity, and resistance to stress and pressure. That combination is why nylon shows up so often in shafts that have to push, track and hold pressure without kinking or wearing through.
Nylons are not as flexible as polyurethanes and they do not bond as well, so many devices pair the two. A stiffer nylon body can carry the push while a softer polyurethane or Pebax® section handles the tip. We run those combinations every day as co-extrusions and bump tubing.
Nylon melting point and glass transition temperature
Nylons are semi-crystalline polymers. As a result, they have a sharp melting point as well as a glass transition temperature. Amorphous polymers such as polycarbonate and polysulfone, by contrast, soften over a range and do not have a sharp melting point. Nylons lose a significant amount of their mechanical properties when heated above the glass transition temperature, depending on whether they are reinforced.
The table below pulls the melting and glass transition values from the datasheets for each nylon grade we extrude. Follow any grade for its full property list.
| Grade | Melting point | Glass transition | Water absorption (24 h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nylon 6 | 401 to 432°F (205 to 222°C) | Not applicable | 1.3% to 1.7% |
| Nylon 6,6 | 489 to 590°F (254 to 310°C) | Not applicable | 1.2% |
| Nylon 12 | 257 to 590°F (125 to 310°C) | 207 to 378°F (97 to 192°C) | Not available |
| Besno® (nylon 11) | 354 to 374°F (179 to 190°C) | 113°F (45°C) | 1.8% |
| Aesno® (nylon 12) | 340 to 356°F (171 to 180°C) | Not applicable | Not available |
| Vestamid® (nylon 12) | 352°F (178°C) | Not applicable | 1.6% |
| Pebax® | 272 to 345°F (133 to 174°C) | Not applicable | 0.9% to 1.2% |
Moisture and processing
Nylon compounds are hygroscopic, which means they absorb moisture from the air. Water absorption across our grades runs from under 1% to almost 2% in 24 hours. Moisture changes how nylon behaves in the extruder and in the finished part, so resin is dried before it runs and handled carefully from dryer to die. Our production area includes dedicated pellet dryers for exactly this reason.
Moisture also changes the finished tube. Nylon 12, for example, is the most flexible and toughest nylon when dry, yet it becomes stiffer than all other nylons when saturated in water. Nylon 6 and 6,6 absorb more moisture, which gives them better impact resistance than nylon 12 when wet. If your device will see fluids, tell us early so we can account for it.
Where nylon tubing is used
Nylon tubing may be transparent or semi-opaque. Its properties make it suitable for many medical extrusions, including:
- Bump tubing and tapered catheter shafts
- Co-extrusions, striped tubing and multi-layered walls
- Micro-extrusions
- Single-lumen and multi-lumen tubing
- Profile extrusions
- High-pressure parts such as dilation catheters, where Vestamid® is often chosen for its burst pressure and low sliding friction
The five main classes of nylon are nylon 6,6, nylon 6, nylon 6,12, nylon 11 and nylon 12. Nylon 6 and 6,6 take their names from the six carbon atoms in their building blocks, and nylon 12 from the twelve carbons donated by each monomer.
On this page
Quick facts
| Invented | 1931 |
| Structure | Semi-crystalline |
| Clarity | Transparent or semi-opaque |
| Sterilization | Dry heat, EtO, gamma, steam (grade dependent) |
| Quality system | ISO 13485:2016 |
Not sure which nylon?
Tell us what the shaft has to do and we will suggest a grade, or a nylon and polyurethane pairing.
Performance
What nylon brings to a catheter.
Choose nylon when a tube has to push, hold pressure and resist wear.
Abrasion resistance
Stands up to repeated movement through sheaths and guides.
Corrosion resistance
Holds up against many fluids and chemicals.
Light weight
Strong for its weight, helpful in long or thin-walled shafts.
Lubricity
A slick surface that slides well, with low friction in grades like Vestamid.
Pressure resistance
Resists stress and pressure, useful for high-burst designs.
Sterilizable
Compatible with dry heat, EtO, gamma and steam, depending on grade.
Compare
Nylon or polyurethane?
A quick side-by-side from our material pages. Many devices use both.
| Property | Nylon | Polyurethane |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility | Stiffer, better pushability | More flexible, softer grades available |
| Bonding | Does not bond as well | Bonds well to almost any surface |
| Surface | Lubricious | Can be tacky |
| Moisture | Hygroscopic, absorbs moisture | Lower concern in most grades |
| Clarity | Transparent or semi-opaque | Transparent or opaque |
| In-body use | May be suitable up to 30 days | May be suitable up to 30 days |
Want help choosing between them for your device?
Trade names
Nylon grades we extrude.
Each grade links to its own datasheet with full property values.
Nylon 12 family
Aesno®
Tougher than nylon 11, with low density, good stress crack resistance and low water absorption. Very flexible grades are available.
| Shore D | 61 to 72 |
| Melting point | 340 to 356°F |
Nylon 11 family
Besno®
Semi-flexible, with very low water absorption and excellent mechanical properties over a wide temperature range.
| Shore D | 62 to 72 |
| Melting point | 354 to 374°F |
Polyamide 6
Nylon 6
High viscosity and good melt strength, with good toughness and resistance to chemical attack.
| Shore D | 60 to 80 |
| Tensile | 3,630 to 13,000 psi |
Polyamide 6,6
Nylon 6,6
Good abrasion resistance and better resistance to high and low temperatures than nylon 6.
| Shore D | 60 to 101 |
| Melting point | 489 to 590°F |
Polyamide 12
Nylon 12
The most flexible and toughest nylon when dry, with the lowest abrasion whether wet or dry.
| Shore D | 40 to 88 |
| Glass transition | 207 to 378°F |
Polyether block amide
Pebax®
Light, soft and flexible with kink resistance. It co-extrudes with polyurethanes, and SA grades meet USP Class VI.
| Shore D | 25 to 72 |
| Elongation | 360% to 790% |
Nylon 12 family
Vestamid®
Combines elasticity, hardness and toughness, with high burst pressure and low sliding friction for dilation catheters.
| Melting point | 352°F |
| Water absorption | 1.6% |
Need a grade that is not on this list? We also run customer-supplied formulations.
Keep exploring
Related materials and extrusions.
Polyurethane tubing
More flexible, bonds easily, often paired with nylon.
Engineering resins
PEEK, PEI and polysulfone for strength and heat.
Bump tubing
Stiff proximal, soft distal, in one extruded tube.
Questions
Nylon tubing, answered.
Still have a question about nylon grades or processing? Our team is happy to help.
What is the melting temperature of nylon?
It depends on the grade. Across the nylons we extrude, typical melting points run from about 257°F (125°C) for some nylon 12 grades up to 590°F (310°C) for nylon 6,6. Pebax melts between 272 and 345°F. The table on this page lists each grade.
What is the glass transition temperature of nylon?
Nylons are semi-crystalline, so they have both a melting point and a glass transition temperature. On our datasheets, nylon 12 is listed at 207 to 378°F (97 to 192°C) and Besno nylon 11 at 113°F (45°C). Nylons lose much of their mechanical strength above the glass transition.
Does nylon tubing absorb water?
Yes. Nylon is hygroscopic. Our grades absorb from under 1% to about 1.8% water in 24 hours, which changes stiffness and impact resistance. We dry resin before extrusion and can help you plan for wet use in the device.
Can nylon tubing be steam sterilized?
Many nylon grades can. Depending on the grade, nylon tubing is compatible with dry heat, ethylene oxide, gamma radiation and steam. Each datasheet lists the methods for that grade.
Is nylon or polyurethane better for catheter tubing?
Nylon gives more pushability, lubricity and pressure resistance. Polyurethane is more flexible and bonds more easily. Many catheters combine the two through co-extrusion or bump tubing, and we can help you decide where each belongs.
Need nylon tubing for a catheter?
Send us your specs, or just describe the problem. A member of our team will follow up personally to walk through tolerances, materials and schedule.
Start a project
Tell us about your part and our team will follow up personally.
Have full drawings and tolerances? Use our detailed request form.