Material
PA46 High-temperature Nylon
High-temperature polyamide filament
Choose PA46 High-temperature Nylon based on its stiffness, recovery, wear, wet-service, chemical, and temperature behavior. Material name alone is not enough to set stiffness; we also need filament diameter, free trim, density, grade, and working conditions.
Datasheet values
- Filament diameter
- 0.10–1.50 mm; straight or crimped
- Temperature range
- -30–150°C continuous brush service; short exposure to 180°C
- Stiffness
- Firm; higher dry-temperature stiffness than PA6/PA66
PA46 High-temperature Nylon is a high-temperature polyamide filament used as brush fill or a cleaning-contact element.
What is PA46 High-temperature Nylon, and what makes it different from other brush filaments?
PA46 High-temperature Nylon belongs to the high-temperature polyamide filament group, supplied as filament diameter 0.10–1.50 mm and straight or crimped, drawn in round, triangular, cross-shaped, hollow, star-shaped and rectangular sections and set in straight rows, helical, staggered, zoned, wavy and random fill patterns.
PA46 High-temperature Nylon is used in custom cleaning brushes for hot-air equipment, drying lines, heated machine cleaning and high-cycle industrial brushes.
The realistic alternatives are Nylon PA, PBT and Polypropylene PP. What separates them here is moisture uptake and working temperature, not headline strength.
Use a softer polymer or natural fiber for lower marking; use abrasive or metal wire for greater cutting action.
What stiffness and contact pressure can I expect from PA46 High-temperature Nylon?
PA46 High-temperature Nylon is firm; higher dry-temperature stiffness than PA6/PA66.
Published ranges for the filament itself. A finished brush runs below them, because the fill carries load and heat at the same time.
| Property | PA46 High-temperature Nylon | Nylon PA | PBT | Polypropylene PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shore hardness | Firm; higher dry-temperature stiffness than PA6/PA66 | Medium to firm; filament diameter and trim length control bending force. | Shore D 80–90 | Shore D 65–75 |
| Continuous temperature (°C) | 150 | 93 | 120–140 | 80–100 |
| Peak temperature (°C) | 180 | 121 | 160–180 | 120–140 |
| Water absorption, 24 h | 0.1–1.0% (24 h; industry reference range) | 0.3–9% by PA grade and conditioning | 0.05–0.20% (24h, ISO 62/ASTM D570) | ≤0.03% (24h, ISO 62/ASTM D570) |
| Filament diameter (mm) | 0.05–3.00 | 0.08–2.50 | 0.03–2.00 | 0.08–3.00 |
| Flexibility | Medium to High Flexibility | Medium to High Flexibility | Medium to High Flexibility | Medium Flexibility |
The part people get wrong: stiffness is not a property of the material on its own. A 0.50 mm filament on a 15 mm trim is stiffer than a 0.30 mm filament on a 25 mm trim in the same grade. Fix diameter and trim first, then confirm the material.
How does water affect PA46 High-temperature Nylon performance?
PA46 High-temperature Nylon takes up 0.1–1.0% (24 h; industry reference range).
Suitable for the wet or dry conditions stated in the application list; wash and dry retained-residue constructions after use.
What this means for your application: it barely absorbs water, so dry and wet contact pressure are effectively the same and the brush behaves alike on both duties.
A practical check: soak a sample for an hour and re-measure the trim. If it has moved enough to change the contact band, the grade is wrong for the duty.
What temperature limits apply to PA46 High-temperature Nylon?
High-temperature capability is grade-dependent. PA46 retains useful mechanical performance at elevated temperature, but use the exact filament-grade TDS rather than a generic 150°C/180°C brush claim.
Where it stops working: A permanent bend under load means the answer is a higher-temperature filament family, not a heavier trim.
The usable limit also moves with diameter, trim and contact pressure. A fine filament under light load tolerates more than a thick one under heavy scrubbing.
What chemicals attack PA46 High-temperature Nylon?
Use the grade-specific chemical profile; choose the exact PA46 grade for the chemicals and applications stated on this page.
The same cleaner can be harmless or destructive depending on how strong it is, how hot it runs and how long it sits. Quote the concentration and the dwell time, not just the product name.
Before you commit to a quantity: Specify PA46 High-temperature Nylon form, diameter or grade, trim, density, working temperature, cleaning fluid, and surface finish.
What is the practical lower limit for filament diameter?
About 0.05 mm. Below that the filament turns fragile and breaks under ordinary contact pressure, so 0.05–3.00 mm is the working range.
Free trim runs 3–300 mm, and the two interact: a finer filament needs a shorter trim to keep useful stiffness, while a thicker one carries a longer trim and still lands pressure on the tip.
Split the range by duty: roughly 0.05–0.79 mm for light wiping, dusting and surfaces that mark easily, and 0.79–3.00 mm where residue is packed on and point pressure matters more than surface risk.
Tip treatments available on this filament: end rounding, tapered-tip grinding, silicone-oil coating, anti-static coating and antibacterial coating.
In practical brush terms: reaching deep into a bore or crevice is a diameter problem before it is a length problem. A thicker filament on a moderate trim pushes further in before the tips fold over.
What applications typically use PA46 High-temperature Nylon?
Hot-air equipment, drying lines, heated machine cleaning and high-cycle industrial brushes.
The applications that keep coming back to this grade:
- Industrial Machine Cleaning
- Dust Removal
- Brick, Tile & Building Material Machine Brush Use
- Laboratory Tube Cleaning
- Household Dish, Teapot & Kitchen Detail Cleaning
- Carpet Machine Cleaning
The constructions that usually carry it:
- Custom Handheld Detail Brushes
- Custom Tube & Pipe Bore Brushes
- Custom Roller and Conveyor Brushes
- Custom Polishing Buffing Wheels
If the sample comes back rejected: Absorbs moisture and is costlier than general nylon; wet stiffness is below PA612 and PBT.
How do I specify PA46 High-temperature Nylon for a custom brush?
A usable specification carries the construction, the filament diameter and free trim, the density and contact setting, and the service conditions: wet or dry, temperature, and what the cleaner actually is.
The mistakes that most often send a sample back:
- Selecting PA46 High-temperature Nylon without setting diameter, trim and density
- Using the material on a surface that cannot accept its contact level
- Ignoring temperature, liquid, motion or residue retention
Reference standards behind the figures on this page: ISO 527-1:2019; ASTM D638; ISO 62:2008; ASTM D570-22; ISO 868:2003; ASTM D2240-15(2021); ISO 4892-3:2024; ASTM G154-23; UL 94.
Source: Envalior — Stanyl PA46. Manufacturer data confirms high-temperature PA46 behavior but not one universal brush-filament service limit.
What else does the datasheet specify for PA46 High-temperature Nylon?
| Filament cross-section | Round/Triangular/Cross-Shaped/Hollow/Star-Shaped/Rectangular |
|---|---|
| Electrical behaviour | Insulating |
Questions this page is asked
How should moisture condition be controlled when comparing PA46 filament?
Define and record as-received, dried and equilibrium-conditioned states with the conditioning atmosphere and time, then measure mass, diameter, stiffness, recovery and tensile or bend response in the state that represents assembly and service. Include repeated wet-dry conditioning where applicable, because PA46 moisture uptake can change dimensions and glass-transition-related behavior even when its high crystallinity retains useful performance.
How should a PA46 brush be released for repeated high-temperature contact?
Cycle the complete brush at the intended contact load through operating temperature, dwell, cooling rate, atmosphere, moisture or cleaner exposure and bending count, then compare stiffness, recovery, permanent set, oxidation or discoloration, cracking, wear, attachment and cleaning result. Set continuous and short-peak limits from the exact filament and assembly test, not from melting temperature, a reinforced molding grade or a single short-term tensile value.
Where these figures come from
| Property | Published value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Published specification |
|
Perlon Retrieved 2026-07-22 |
Guides that go deeper on this
We have not written a guide specific to this one yet. The material that covers selection, filament, dimensions, maintenance and sourcing is collected in the technical resources library.
No catalogue item for this yet
Every brush here is made to order, and this one has no catalogue entry so far. Send the working surface, the residue, the access opening and the quantity, and it is quoted through the same specification route as the rest of the range.
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