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-to-
weight 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 Carnegie-Mellon
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
• 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/Kev
 SOURCES
• http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blk

• http://
inventors.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?sit
=http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/90.html