After watching the videos and understanding what is being developed in the industry of material engineering, the material that I personally found most interesting was kevlar. It seemed like such a lightweight material yet it is very strong and it has a lot of different applications. Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide known as Kevlar, was invented by the chemist Stephanie Kwolek back in 1971. The material is produced by a chemical reaction with solvent and solutes. The production of this material is expensive as it is not easy to do. However it is not easy to produce Kevlar as this source states “However, the fabric is expensive, difficult to manufacture because of its tight weave construction” (Hosur). The following image shows the chemical …show more content…
The polymer owes its high strength to the many inter-chain bonds. These inter-molecular hydrogen bonds form between the carbonyl groups and NH centers. Additional strength is derived from aromatic stacking interactions between adjacent strands. These interactions have a greater influence on Kevlar than the van der Waals interactions and chain length that typically influence the properties of other synthetic polymers and fibers” (Wikipedia). Therefore its main strength comes from the intermolecular bonds and stacking of the material. Even though Kevlar is a very strong material, it is yet very light considering the high strain it can handle. As this source claims “Their high strength-to-weight ratio and ability to resist high-speed impacts enable them to be more efficient than metals” (Zhu). By this measure it is also known that Kevlar is almost five more times stronger than steel. This image shows the tensile strength of Kevlar in comparison to other materials. As seen, there is drastic difference and it has a much larger tensile strength. Kevlar has a lot of different applications, however it is most known for its application in the protection field. It is usually used for armors, objects such as helmets and ballistic
Many engineers were starting to create beneficial inventions that would impact many lives. For example, Henry Bessemer was an English engineer who created the Bessemer process, a process of producing steel. This made steel an
World War Two's most famous contributions to the history of body armor is the flak jacket. Made from ballistic nylon, the flak jacket was "cumbersome and bulky" and "was ineffective against most pistol and rifle threats," (Bellis, n.d.). However, flak jackets were very effective in preventing casualties related to shrapnel. Shrapnel did account for as much as 70% of all Second World War casualties (Pike, 2011). No significant advancements in body armor were made between the end of World War Two and the 1970s. Even during the Vietnam War, flak jackets were still being used. In the 1970s, though, Kevlar was invented. Kevlar and other lighter weight materials allowed for constant protection that was relatively comfortable to wear. Moreover, the improved materials could protect greater surface area on the body. As Pike (2011) points out, "Most fatal penetrating injuries were caused by missiles entering through areas not protected by body armor, such as the face, neck, pelvis, and groin." Unlike earlier materials, Kevlar also
Elastigirl is a very well known superhero in the movie, The Incredibles. She has the flexibility superpower, and she can stretch any part of her body up to 100' (30 m) and to a minimum thickness of 1 mm, and mold it into several shapes and sizes as well. Elastigirl also has the superpower of invulnerability, meaning she can withstand large amounts of pain and discomfort. It is mind boggling to think about how Elastigirl has these superpowers that she possesses. The only answer to this is biology.
fiber and Kevlar for military applications. “But the frame and design of the InvinciBull helmet
The outer shell of the helmet has 2 layers of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is extremely strong and light. The construction of the outer shell begins with a thin layer of gel coat. After that a special resign is added to the shell. The special resign includes several types of glass, carbon, Kevlar, and other exotic fibers and weaves. Kevlar is what makes carbon fiber helmets extremely durable and light. All that added together is what gives the outer shell its glossy finish look. Underneath the outer shell is the BEADALL liner. BEADALL liner is a foam layer that is made of polystyrene or polypropylene. This layer of foam is put in the crown of the helmet, which makes it absorbs energy that the outer shell didn’t absorb at the time of impact. The last piece of the helmet is the form-fitting layer that is made out of nylon or Nomex, which is a fire retardant material that protects a racer from getting burned in case a fire does happen. You can also find that Nomex is used in firesuits. Today all race helmets have to have a snell rating in order to race. The snell rating is accumulated by a series of tests of impact done to the helmet, to see how well it holds up and if it flies off the test subjects head.
National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2010, for finding a way to stabilize the polymers used to coat
This fiber is five times stronger than steel, which was rare even to the medieval knights. The fiber resists large explosions, and other catastrophes. This illustrates the differences and the advances that have been
Modern inventions are getting more advanced every day.These are two inventions that are very interesting in my opinion and the first one is the boosted board and the second one
Bulletproof vests are made up of fibers that have been woven together to create a very strong material to help save you. Kevlar is one of the most important fibers in bulletproof vests because how strong it is. Another fiber, Dyneema, is made from a polyethylene which is a very strong fiber. They also make plates to put in the vest to save you from even more handgun and rifle rounds.
Scientists found a new plant that has this star that’s so hot that they disbelieve there could be any molecules living on this planet named “Kelt-9b”. The founders go to the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio the team tells us how this planet is three times bigger than Jupiter, and the star that lives as its next door neighbor is nearly twice as hot as our own sun. The planet moves around the sun like star every one and a half earth days one side of the planet is locked into a face to face with the star which makes the face of Kelt-9b be around 7,820 degrees Fahrenheit. For a long time scientists have been focused on finding small planets by cool stars because technology today it’s easier to study atmospheres of planets potentially find
She eventually went to the women’s college of Carnegie-Mellon University (Margaret Morrison Carnegie College.) After her graduation, she applied for a position as a chemist for the DuPont Company. Kwolek’s interview with W. Hale Charch, who had made the process to make cellophane waterproof and was, by then, a research director, is an important landmark of her life. After Charch let her know that he would tell her if she was to be offered a job later, Kwolek strongly asked if he could make a decision sooner, because she had another offer that she had to reply to soon. In Kwolek’s presence, he gave her an offer letter. She later reflected on this, stating that if it wasn’t for her harshness, she probably wouldn’t have gotten the job. After working for DuPont for numerous years, Kwolek, in her 40s, was asked to find the next generation of fibers capable of performing in extreme conditions. She unexpectedly discovered that under certain conditions, large amounts of the molecules of rod-like polyamides form liquid crystalline solutions, and that these solutions can be spun directly into shaped fibers of very high strength and hardness. It was after this that she invented Kevlar using this
We found that Polypropylene was our 5th unknown. Polypropylene (C3H6) or more commonly referred to as PP, is used for labeling, packaging, textiles, and stationery. In 1957, the crystallization of polymer was discovered. Soon fabric was made from the polymer, and was in high demand. It can also be used for moldings of cars, film, tape, foam and carpet. Polypropylene can not be glued to any objects or itself, and so it is melded. After Polyethylene, Polypropylene is the highest produced synthetic plastic. Polypropylene also holds up well over time, which is one of the reasons that it is the second most produced plastic. The melting point is between 130-171 degrees celsius. Because polypropylene is tough and flexible it can be used as an engineering plastic. Finally, polypropylene can be used be manufactured into a living hinge. A
A bullet proof vest consists of a vest-shaped panel made up of advanced plastic polymers that are composed of many layers of Kevlar or Spectra shield. The layers of Kevlar are sewn together using Kevlar thread but the nonwoven spectra shield is coated and bonded with resins such as Kraton and sealed between two sheets of Kevlar. Once all of the panels of Kevlar are sewn together it is placed inside of a fabric shell that is usually made from polyester and cotton blend or nylon. A bulletproof vest may also have nylon padding for extra protection. If the bullet proof vest is intended to be worn in especially dangerous situations puches are built in to hold plates of metal or ceramic bonded fiberglass.
Bulletproof vest are made of either ceramic materials, layered Kevlar, metal plating, tensil liquids or a variety of other materials depending on the calibre of the weapon being shielded against. Small hand guns with low power will be effectively protected against by vests made of Kevlar fabric while higher calibre weapons will require more protection. Hand grenades and shotguns may require metal plated vests. (“What is a Bulletproof made of”).