23 Facts About Kevlar

Kevlar is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora.

Kevlar has many applications, ranging from bicycle tires and racing sails to bulletproof vests, all due to its high tensile strength-to-weight ratio; by this measure it is five times stronger than steel.

Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide – branded Kevlar – was invented by the American chemist Stephanie Kwolek while working for DuPont, in anticipation of a gasoline shortage.

Kevlar 149 was invented by Dr Jacob Lahijani of Dupont in the 1980s.

Kevlar production is expensive because of the difficulties arising from using concentrated sulfuric acid, needed to keep the water-insoluble polymer in solution during its synthesis and spinning.

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Kevlar is often used in the field of cryogenics for its low thermal conductivity and high strength relative to other materials for suspension purposes.

Kevlar is a well-known component of personal armor such as combat helmets, ballistic face masks, and ballistic vests.

Kevlar is used to manufacture gloves, sleeves, jackets, chaps and other articles of clothing designed to protect users from cuts, abrasions and heat.

Kevlar-based protective gear is often considerably lighter and thinner than equivalent gear made of more traditional materials.

In table tennis, plies of Kevlar are added to custom ply blades, or paddles, in order to increase bounce and reduce weight.

Kevlar has been found to have useful acoustic properties for loudspeaker cones, specifically for bass and mid range drive units.

Additionally, Kevlar has been used as a strength member in fiber optic cables such as the ones used for audio data transmissions.

Kevlar can be used as an acoustic core on bows for string instruments.

Remo's Falam Slam patch is made with Kevlar and is used to reinforce bass drum heads where the beater strikes.

Kevlar is sometimes used in structural components of cars, especially high-value performance cars such as the Ferrari F40.

Kevlar is sometimes used as a substitute for Teflon in some non-stick frying pans.

Kevlar fiber is used in rope and in cable, where the fibers are kept parallel within a polyethylene sleeve.

Kevlar is widely used as a protective outer sheath for optical fiber cable, as its strength protects the cable from damage and kinking.

Kevlar was used by scientists at Georgia Institute of Technology as a base textile for an experiment in electricity-producing clothing.

Kevlar can be found as a reinforcing layer in rubber bellows expansion joints and rubber hoses, for use in high temperature applications, and for its high strength.

Some cellphones have a Kevlar backplate, chosen over other materials such as carbon fiber due to its resilience and lack of interference with signal transmission.

Kevlar 149, the strongest fiber and most crystalline in structure, is an alternative in certain parts of aircraft construction.

The wing leading edge is one application, Kevlar being less prone than carbon or glass fiber to break in bird collisions.