Ensinger TECACOMP PA12 GF30 black 1014885 is a short-glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide 12 compound in which 30 wt% E-glass fiber is dispersed in a semi-crystalline nylon 12 matrix. The numeric suffix 1014885 identifies the black color and specific formulation for lot traceability. Because the matrix is polymerized from laurolactam, the amide group density is lower than that of PA6 or PA66; this reduces equilibrium moisture uptake and limits the plasticizing effect of absorbed water on modulus. The 30 wt% glass loading raises strength and stiffness well above unfilled PA12 while retaining more ductility and lower density than 50 wt% glass-filled PA12 compounds. The product is supplied in pellet form for injection molding and profile or sheet extrusion, and is applied where the base polymer’s chemical resistance, sub-zero impact behavior, and dimensional stability under humidity are required in combination with structural modulus. Lot-specific certificates of analysis report properties under the test methods summarized in Table 1.

What Property Shifts Occur When 30 wt% Glass Fiber Is Distributed in the Nylon 12 Matrix?

Tensile modulus of approximately 5200 MPa under ISO 527-1/-2 is roughly three times the dry modulus of unfilled PA12, which typically falls between 1400 and 1600 MPa. This increase is accompanied by a reduction in tensile strain at break to 4.5%; the compound therefore behaves as a stiff, short-fiber structural composite rather than a ductile polyamide. Notched Charpy impact strength near 12 kJ/m² tested per ISO 179-1/1eA is lower than that of unfilled grades but remains higher than heavily filled 50 wt% variants. Unnotched Charpy values near 50 kJ/m² indicate that the material retains practical toughness in geometries without sharp cracks or machined notches.

Heat deflection temperature under 1.8 MPa reaches approximately 160°C by ISO 75-1/-2, a significant shift from the 50–60°C range typical of unfilled PA12. This permits short-term load-bearing at temperatures that would cause unfilled PA12 to creep rapidly. The gain in elevated-temperature stiffness is directly related to glass fiber restraint of the amorphous phase and to the higher crystalline nucleation density created by the fiber surfaces. Mold shrinkage is anisotropic: parallel-to-flow shrinkage near 0.3% and perpendicular shrinkage near 0.6% per ISO 294-4. Fiber alignment in the flow direction restrains longitudinal contraction but not transverse contraction; flat parts therefore require balanced gating, uniform wall thickness, and careful rib placement to avoid out-of-plane warpage.

Water absorption at saturation in 23°C water is approximately 1.1% per ISO 62, lower than PA66 GF30 and PA6 GF30. The lower moisture uptake reduces the humid-condition modulus loss and increases dimensional predictability in applications exposed to condensation, outdoor storage, or water-glycol coolants. However, the glass fiber does not eliminate moisture-induced dimensional change entirely; components with tight tolerances should still be conditioned and measured after exposure to the intended service humidity.

Injection Molding and Extrusion Parameters That Control Fiber Length Retention and Surface Quality

Compounding of the glass fiber is performed on twin-screw extruders with side-fed chopped glass. If the side-feeder throughput is not synchronized with polymer feed, fiber-content variation of ±2 wt% can occur. That variation can shift tensile modulus by roughly ±8% and alter heat deflection temperature by several degrees Celsius. Incoming lot testing for glass content per ISO 3451-4 is therefore recommended for critical structural parts. For conversion, pre-drying is required when pellet storage has been opened for more than a few hours at relative humidity above 60%. A dehumidifying dryer set to 80°C for 4–6 h is generally sufficient to reduce moisture below 0.10% by Karl Fischer titration according to ISO 15512. Drying above 100°C should be avoided because oxidative yellowing and additive migration can begin, and retention in the dryer beyond 12 h should be validated for black grades to avoid carbon black agglomeration.

Melt temperatures between 250°C and 280°C are typical for injection molding. The lower end of this window preserves color and molecular weight; the upper end improves flow into long thin sections but shortens allowable residence time. Temperatures above 300°C or residence times above 15 min can produce measurable chain scission, surface splay, and a loss of notched impact strength. Mold temperature is a critical process limit: a range of 80–100°C is recommended. At mold temperatures below 60°C, crystallization is incomplete, which reduces heat deflection temperature, increases post-mold shrinkage during later service above 50°C, and can create visible flow lines on black surfaces. For dimensional stability in warm fluid-contact components, mold temperature should be held at the upper end of the range and cooling time extended until gate freeze-off is complete.

Screw design for glass-reinforced PA12 should use a low-compression, shear-controlled profile with a compression ratio near 2.0:1 and a 20:1 to 22:1 L/D general-purpose screw. Hardened bimetallic barrel liners, screw flights, and non-return valves are required because glass fiber abrasion increases clearance rapidly. Shot-weight drift above ±0.5% in production campaigns on 1600 kN hydraulic injection machines is frequently traced to check-ring wear rather than heater-band drift. Runner and gate design must account for fiber orientation. Weld-line tensile strength in glass-filled polyamides commonly falls to 40–60% of non-welded values when tested per ISO 527-2 on end-gated tensile bars. Gates should therefore be located away from high tensile stress regions, and sequential valve gating may be used for large flat parts. Vent depths of 0.01–0.02 mm are typical to avoid gas burn without causing flash. For extrusion, the same predrying limits apply; high-shear barrier screws with aggressive mixing sections should be evaluated carefully because excessive shear can reduce average fiber length below the critical load-transfer length, lowering tensile strength by 10–20% relative to optimized low-shear processing.

Applications in fuel system brackets, pneumatic manifolds, cable conduits, and industrial housings use the PA12 matrix’s resistance to aliphatic hydrocarbons, diesel, mineral oil, grease, and many nonpolar solvents. Unlike PA66 GF30, this grade retains a larger portion of its dry mechanical properties after exposure to fuels and high humidity because water absorption is lower and the longer aliphatic segments reduce hydrogen bonding density. Low-temperature performance is another differentiating characteristic: PA12 compounds generally retain useful impact response at -40°C, while short-chain aliphatic nylons can become more brittle below 0°C. However, the glass fiber reinforcement does reduce overall ductility compared with unfilled PA12, so impact-critical designs should be validated on notched specimens at the lowest service temperature using ISO 179-1/1eA or ISO 180/A.

The glass fiber also restricts the upper continuous-use temperature in oxidative environments. Polyamide 12 has a lower melting point than PA66 and PPA, and long-term dry-heat aging above 100°C can embrittle the matrix more quickly than some higher-temperature nylons. Components exposed to hot air above 90°C for thousands of hours should be validated under ISO 188 or ISO 4577 because published data for this specific black formulation under thermal oxidative aging is limited. Chemical incompatibilities include strong mineral acids, oxidizing aqueous media, peroxides, and high-temperature glycol/water mixtures; environmental stress cracking resistance in aggressive fluids should be evaluated with ISO 22088-3 or ISO 22088-6 using production-representative injection-molded samples, not machined specimens.

If Regulatory Documentation, Electrical Insulation, or Flame Retardancy Determines Material Down-Selection

Electrical properties of glass-filled PA12 are influenced by carbon black concentration, fiber content, and moisture. The black grade is electrically dissipative only if carbon black loading is intentionally raised; standard black colorant levels typically maintain volume resistivity above 10¹² Ω·m under IEC 62631-3-1, but this must be confirmed for the specific lot and conditioning state. Comparative tracking index values for glass-filled PA12 grades commonly fall between 500 and 600 V under IEC 60112, although the exact value depends on glass sizing and pigments. For components requiring UL 94 classification, the grade should be specified only after reviewing the manufacturer’s yellow card; many glass-filled PA12 grades achieve HB at 0.75 mm or thicker, but V-class ratings typically require a separate flame-retardant designation.

REACH and RoHS declarations are supplied by Ensinger for the specific product code; the black pigmentation is carbon-black-based and does not rely on heavy-metal colorants. Compliance with Directive 2011/65/EU and Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 should be confirmed on the batch certificate. The grade is not marketed as a food-contact material; black formulations may contain additives or processing aids that are not covered by Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, and published data for this specific configuration under food-contact migration testing is limited. Potable water compliance under NSF/ANSI 61 or KTW/BWGL requires separate certification and should not be assumed.

Compared with PA66 GF30, TECACOMP PA12 GF30 black 1014885 has lower saturated moisture uptake, which stabilizes dimensions and dielectric properties in humid service, and better resistance to zinc chloride solutions, which are known stress-cracking agents for PA66. PA66 GF30, however, offers higher heat deflection temperature and often higher tensile strength at dry conditions, so it remains preferable for continuous underhood temperatures above 120°C. Compared with TECACOMP PA12 GF50, the 30 wt% grade provides lower melt viscosity, less screw and barrel abrasion, higher notched impact strength, and lower stiffness. The trade-off is a flexural modulus that can be 25–35% lower, so structural brackets with strict deflection limits may require the higher glass loading or rib reinforcement. Compared with unfilled PA12, the GF30 grade replaces brake-fluid and cable-coupling ductility with structural stiffness and reduced wear in sliding contact; the elongation at break drops by more than an order of magnitude, and sharp inside radii must be designed accordingly.

Compared with PPA GF30 compounds, TECACOMP PA12 GF30 black 1014885 processes at melt temperatures 50–60°C lower and offers better low-temperature impact, while PPA GF30 typically provides higher heat deflection temperature and lower water absorption. The selection between these materials is therefore governed by the actual thermal load, chemical environment, and cost constraints of the component.