Nylon vs POM
Nylon and POM are genuine alternatives to one another — a choice somebody actually makes — and differ on 2 measured properties, density most clearly.
Nylon vs POM
Nylon
The first fully synthetic fibre — stronger than silk, and the material that proved a laboratory could out-perform an organism.
POM
The plastic that replaced small metal parts — stiff, slippery, dimensionally stable, and the standard material for a moulded gear.
| Property | Nylon | POM |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.13–1.15 g/cm³ | 1.41–1.42 g/cm³ higher |
| Melting point | 190–265 °C higher | 165–175 °C |
| Tensile strength Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 60–75 MPa |
| Young's modulus Only one of the two has a figure we can stand behind, so there is nothing to compare. | Not known | 2.8–3.6 GPa |
Choosing between them
POM is recorded as a substitute for Nylon — easier to work.
What it gives up: Poor resistance to acids, hard to bond adhesively, and it depolymerises to formaldehyde if overheated in the barrel.
In this application, on the evidence cited above.