Decoding the interplay of mold temperature and catalysts concentration on the crystallinity and mechanical properties of anionic polyamide 6: a combined experimental and statistical approach

Anionic polyamide 6 (aPA6), synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam, has emerged as a promising matrix for high-performance thermoplastic composites, offering advantages over conventional thermoplastics and thermosets. However, optimizing the microstructure and mechanical properties of aPA6 requires a comprehensive understanding of how processing conditions influence polymerization kinetics and resulting material characteristics. This work systematically investigates the interplay between two critical processing parameters, i.e., the mold temperature and catalysts concentration, on the microstructural and thermomechanical properties of aPA6, via a combined experimental and statistical approach. Increasing the mold temperature from 145 °C to 175 °C and the catalysts concentration led to a reduction in crystallinity, due to the promotion of polymerization over crystallization. Higher temperatures and concentrations also slightly anticipated thermal degradation on...