KEVLAR
By: 7B Group 6
Jeremy Gemzontan
Jan Hobie Sinfuego
Rafael Tan
Dwight Ong
Miguel Pingol
KEVLAR
• Kevlar was created by Stephanie
Kwolek, a researcher at DuPont
Company.
• Made of polymer.
• Used for bulletproof vests,
underwater cables, brake linings,
space vehicles, boats and
parachutes.
KEVLAR
• Has a tensile strength-toweight ratio that is 5 times
stronger than steel.
• Is lightweight, making it a
very useful material for many
things.
POLYMER
• Polymer is a large molecule
that is made of repeated
structural units.
• Polymer is not only limited to
plastics but actually covers
many different materials.
Physical Properties
• Kevlar does not have a melting point
as the polymer disintegrates before it
can melt.
• Very strong, 5 times stronger than
steel in fact.
• Has a density of 1.44.
• It insulates electricity.
• It also insulates heat.
PRODUCTION
• A variety of chemicals are mixed
together to which it will form a
liquid-crystalline behavior.
• The chemical is then spun and
waved with fibers to make a
form of fabric which can then be
cut and formed into different
things.
PRODUCTION
• Producing Kevlar is very
expensive because Kevlar is very
hard to cut and weave and since
it is 5 times stronger than steel.
• That means that to cut it, they
need a material that is equal or
greater than the strength of
Kevlar.
STEPHANIE KWOLEK
• Was born in New Kingston,
Pennsylvania in 1923.
• Graduated in 1946 from CarnegieMellon University.
• Invented Kevlar in the early 1960s.
• DuPont Company started developing
it in 1965.
• Inducted into the National Inventors
Hall of Face in 1995.
TIMELINE
• 1965 Stephanie Kwolek, a DuPont research scientist, develops
Kevlar® by spinning fiber from liquid crystalline solutions.
• 1970 DuPont research scientist Herb Blades develops the
revolutionary air gap spinning process, which enables large-scale
production of Kevlar® brand fiber.
• 1971 DuPont begins producing Kevlar® in large quantities in
Richmond, VA.
• 1975 First field trial of body armor made with DuPont™ Kevlar®
conducted with police officers and sponsored by the National
Institute of Justice.
• 1975 First officer inducted into the IACP/DuPont™ Kevlar
Survivors' Club®
• 1978 DuPont™ Kevlar® adopted by the U.S. Army for use in flak
jackets and PASGT helmets .
• 1981 The U.S. Military specifies that protective apparel be worn
by its personnel; most of this protective apparel contains Kevlar®.
• 1982 The U.S. Military makes its first major purchase of
the PASGT Vest , which provides extraordinary protection against
fragments.
TIMELINE
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1985 The U.S. Military purchases the PASGT Helmet , at the time
the best armor available for protection against fragmentation, heat
and flame.
1987 The U.S. Military places a major order for the CVC
Vest because it offers superior ballistic protection from spall and
fragmentation and does not melt or support combustion in air.
1988 The U.S. Military purchases a large number of CVC Helmets .
1991 In the Gulf War, most U.S. combat soldiers wore a helmet
made of DuPont™ Kevlar®. The PASGT Vests worn by the military
played a critical role in reducing the number of casualties during
Desert Storm.
1993 Fragmentation- and bullet- resistant Ranger Vests help save
the lives of military personnel stationed in Somalia.
1994 Countermine and Bomb Suits containing fabric made with
DuPont™ Kevlar® help protect U.S. Army personnel serving in
Somalia and Bosnia.
1995 DuPont™ Kevlar® Correctional™ introduced – first 100% soft
woven fabric for stab protection in corrections institutions.
1997 The U.S. military makes its first major purchase of the
Advanced CVC Helmet which in provides both bump and
fragmentation protection. First commercial adoption of DuPont™
Kevlar® Correctional™ by New Jersey Correctional Institution.
TIMELINE
• 1998 The U.S. military makes its first major purchase of
the Interceptor Vest . Even in extreme environmental conditions,
this vest provides exceptional protection against a range of
fragments and handgun bullets.
• 1999 The U.S. Navy purchases the Navy Flak Vest, designed to
help protect personnel above deck against flame and
fragmentation.
• 2000 The U.S. military makes its first major purchase of the
MICH Helmet, which helps protect special operations personnel
who must wear extensive communications equipment.
• 2002 Interceptor Body Armor , also known as the Outer Tactical
Vest, is credited with holding down casualties in Afghanistan.
• 2004 Interceptor II Outer Tactical Vest developed for lighter
weight protection in Iraq.
• 2005 New Advanced Combat Helmet made with Kevlar® begins
procurement. DuPont™ Kevlar® Comfort XLT™ vest technology
adopted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
• 2006 Officer Cory Grogan inducted into the IACP/DuPont™ Kevlar
Survivors' Club® as the 3000th save.
TIMELINE
•“History of Kevlar”,
retrieved on January 13,
2011 at 9:18pm from:
http://www2.dupont.com/Kevla
r/en_US/products/history.html
SOURCES
• http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors
/blkevlar.htm
• http://inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsit
e.htm?site=http://www.invent.org/hall_of_f
ame/90.html