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As plastic recycling systems evolve, recycled nylon has become increasingly significant in industrial manufacturing. Compared with virgin grades, recycled nylon often suffers from inconsistent properties due to molecular degradation and impurities. Polymer blending has thus emerged as an effective method to restore and enhance its mechanical and thermal performance.
The essence of blending lies in interfacial compatibility. Recycled PA6 and PA66 often have reduced molecular weights and poor melt strength after processing. Blending them with high-molecular-weight virgin nylon helps balance viscosity and crystallinity. Reactive compatibilizers—such as maleic anhydride–grafted polyolefins, epoxy resins, and isocyanates—create chemical bonds between phases, improving toughness and adhesion.
For thermal improvement, multiphase blends combining recycled nylon with PBT, PET, or PPS are commonly used. Nano-fillers such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, or montmorillonite can increase heat distortion and creep resistance. Surface-modified fillers enhance dispersion and interfacial stability, ensuring reliable mechanical strength under elevated temperatures.
In automotive and electrical applications, recycled nylon is often reinforced with glass fibers and stabilized with antioxidants, HALS, and thermal stabilizers. Dynamic reactive extrusion provides simultaneous grafting and dispersion, reducing property fluctuations between batches and achieving near-virgin performance levels.
Recent innovations focus on combining recycled nylon with bio-based elastomers like TPU and PEBA, creating materials with high strength, flexibility, and impact resistance. As chemical recycling advances, future recycled nylons will exhibit higher purity and molecular control, enabling more stable blending behavior. Recycled nylon, once seen as a compromise, is now becoming a sustainable, high-performance material central to circular manufacturing.
