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Overview

Minlon® mineral-reinforced nylon resin is one of DuPont's lines of engineering polymers or plastics, known for their strength and stiffness. Plastics, long used as substitutes for wood, glass and metal due to their lower weight and cost, have been improved and enhanced in qualities such as strength, elasticity, waterproofing and temperature resistance. Engineering polymers like Minlon®, for example, can withstand hot oil temperatures of up to 150°F and can therefore be used for parts under car hoods. Minlon® parts will not warp or crack, and they resist some plastics' tendency to stretch under pressure and strain. Engineering polymers can be molded to a variety of design needs, and offer increased safety to workers since there are no sharp edges in production.

Minlon®, made by DuPont since the early 1970s, is nylon 66 that is chemically bonded to a mineral or mineral-and-glass blend. The mineral blend makes the product stronger and stiffer than nylon bonded to glass alone, or non-reinforced nylon. Minlon®, manufactured globally by DuPont, is produced in granules and sold to industrial customers who typically use a process of injection molding to manufacture specific parts. Popular uses include gears, wheel covers and automobile parts, but the polymer has also been used in light fixtures, due to its heat resistance, and in chairs. Minlon® can be colored as part of the process, saving time and money for painting, and one variety can be chrome-plated, offering a variety of design uses such as the interior door handles in luxury cars.

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