Nylon vs Polyester
Nylon and polyester are thermo plastic polymers. Though they have some similar properties, the differences are many. Right from the appearance to the structure, there are differences.
The polyester compounds can be thermosets as well. This depends on the chemical structure of the compound. Nylon is a synthetic product. It is made from chemicals. Polyester also is a synthetic product but there are options to make it from plants. It includes the cutin of the cuticles of the plants and some synthetics like polycarbonate.
The product nylon is commonly known as polyamides as it belongs to the family of polyamides. It is more of synthetic linen in structure and texture. Polyesters are made of the esters in a chain and are a man-made fiber. Nylon has smoother texture than polyester. Nylon has a silky texture while polyester is more of the fiber feeling.
The product nylon is formed by the condensation of copolymers. Equal parts of dicarboxylic acid and diamine are used for the process. There are peptide bonds on the ends of the monomers. Synthetic polyesters are made up of dimethyl ester dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) or the purified terephthalic acid (PTA).
Nylon fibers are a category of nylon and can be used for creating fabrics, carpets, ropes, and even the strings of the musical instruments. Another category is the solid nylon. This is used in the automotive and mechanical industries for manufacturing of gears and some similar components. Solid nylon is of engineering grade and is made by the processes of casting, extrusion, and molding. Some other types of nylon are Nylon 101, Nylon 6, and the molybdenum sulfide variants. These are used for various purposes. Nylon 6 is the most common variety.
Polyesters come in different varieties like three-dimensional forms, sheets, and fibers. These can change the shapes on heating and when the temperatures are quite high, the probability of the product shrinking is high. There are woven polyester varieties as well. These are used to make fabrics for home furnishings, costumes, and ropes. The polyester fiber fills are being used extensively in the manufacturing and stuffing of cushions, pillows, and comforters. Industrial polymers are used to make ropes, tire reinforcements, conveyer belts, and safety belts.
When fabrics are made from nylon and polyester, the natural feel is more in the nylon dress. But polyester fabrics have some advantages like the durability and wrinkle resistance capability over nylon. Compared to polyester, nylon has very good resistance to abrasion, fungi, insects, chemicals, and even mildew. If polyester shrinks on heating, nylon just melts and it catches fire sooner than polyesters.
Summary:
1. Nylon is a thermoplastic polymer. Polyester can be thermoplastic or thermoset depending on the chemical structure.
2. Nylon fabrics have a more natural feeling than polyester ones.
3. The polyester fabrics are more wrinkle resistant than the nylon fabrics.
4. Nylons are always synthetic but polyesters can be producing by natural ingredients also. One of the major ingredients is the cutin obtained from the plant cuticles.