Kevlar is a textile five times stronger than steel
Textile durability and the application of high-strength textiles are frequently discussed topics on our blog, including everything from tarps to Cordura. These highly elastic textiles are ideal for first responder, military and personal protection applications, and any custom-sewn product that requires high exposure to degrading elements, especially extreme heat or freezing temperatures. Kevlar, the accidental discovery of chemist Stephanie Kwolek, is one of the strongest and most versatile textiles, boasting such a high tensile strength-to-weight ratio that it's actually five times stronger than steel.
Kevlar is a synthetic material, simply put, a very strong woven plastic.
Created out of nowhere in 1964, the textile was originally developed as a solution to developing lighter but stronger tires amid petrol shortages. Further testing and development took place after discovering its toughness and ability to withstand tests that other nylon solutions could not. The resulting field of polymer chemistry deals with the molecular composition and chemistry of synthetic polymers.
Kevlar's strength comes not only from the way the fibers are spun and woven, but also from its molecular structure; synthetic aramids (the type of molecule used to make Kevlar) have long, parallel molecular chains that are made stronger by fabric construction methods . Kevlar's chemical structure must be built before it can be spun by linking long chains of the same molecule that repeat over and over and hold tightly together with hydrogen molecules. The fibers are then created through a "wet spinning" process that aligns all the molecules in the same direction by heating the sticky molecular material and passing the material through a spinneret. When cut and tightly woven into fabric sheets, Kevlar is ready for field applications.
The most common wearable Kevlar application is bulletproof vests. The tight molecular composition combined with the tight weave of the fabric makes it difficult to penetrate with a bullet or knife. While it's not indestructible, it does absorb most blows and does much less damage to the wearer. Armed with this knowledge, many bulletproof vests are designed with multiple layers of Kevlar, which means more protection and attack absorption. Other common uses include suitcases designed for maximum protection, automotive parts such as brakes and internal belt components, tires, archery components such as bowstrings, and even the exterior bodies of airplanes, boats and cars.
The use of this ballistic material, potentially combined with body armor integration capabilities, could redefine personal protection for anyone from first responders to the military.
