Did you know that Kevlar was first utilized in racing tires in the 1970s as a substitute for heavy steel? Stephanie Kwolek, an American chemist, invented it.
Kevlar materials in various applications, ranging from commercial products to industrial technologies and body armor, are the primary driver of the global Kevlar market’s expansion.
Kevlar is a composite material that has a specific chemical composition. It’s a member of the aramid family of fibers.
Kevlar’s distinguishing characteristics include tensile strength, heat resistance, lightweight, specific stiffness, and wear resistance. Because of these properties, it’s used to produce a wide range of industries. Learn more below.
What Are Kevlar Materials?
Kevlar is a para-aramid-like poly para-phenylene terephthalate (PPD-T). The structure comprises benzene rings responsible for the high thermal conductivity and para substitutions, resulting in increased strength and modulus.
Fiber filaments are molded during the spinning of the starting material. The non-uniform properties of the extruded shaft para-aramid structure are very high. The axial direction has higher strength and stiffness, and the transverse direction has lower strength and stiffness.
How Is Kevlar Manufactured?
In a condensation reaction, you create Kevlar by combining 1,4- PPD-T and terephthalic acid. Because of the existence of aromatic rings on amine groups, it forms a shaft-like structure with a high melting temperature and low solubility.
The polymer chains are joined together by hydrogen bonding. The makeup of the fiber structure is of smooth-oriented molecules that are parallel to each other. These form a crystalline nature likened to synthetic plastic.
Fibers are made by melting PPD-T solution and spinning it through a nozzle, then chilling it to solidify it.
Induction heated extruders heat the solution to the necessary viscosity. Then, from a nozzle, the melt enters an air-cooled stream. Here it solidifies into a thread.
These threads are then spun into a yarn. Finally, this yarn is wound onto spindles used for several different applications.
Kevlar Applications
Kevlar’s outstanding and one-of-a-kind properties allow it to be used in various applications. The worldwide market for kevlar encompasses:
- The consumer market – includes the communication market, sportswear, clothing, surfboards, etc.
- The auto industry – tires, gaskets, brake pads, car armor, hoses, etc.
- Industrial uses – helmets, belts, protective gear, etc.
- Electronic and telecommunication industry
- Agriculture and farming sector
The various applications are:
- Defense and ballistics
- Materials used in aircraft structural components
- Automotive hoses and belts for heating and cooling systems
- Cables made of fiber optics and electromechanical components
- Gaskets and friction products
- Sealants and adhesives
- Automobile and aircraft protective clothing
As you can see, the high strength of Kevlar has many benefits in our day-to-day lives.
Give Me Strength!
We all benefit from some of nature’s most remarkable materials, such as Kevlar materials, whether directly or indirectly.
As we have shown, Kevlar is a multifunctional material. As a result, it’s used everywhere, from mundane to insane, from aircraft to car tires.
Why not use Kevlar products in your next large project? Contact us now to get your quote. We will get back to you promptly!