What Is Nylon Material?
According to the Chemical Heritage Foundation website nylon is a synthetic material created following research by the DuPont Company into the creation of a synthetic rubber material. The first nylon material was named Fiber 66 after its chemical make up, and later versions of nylon use names such as nylon 6 and nylon 4,6.
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History
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The history of nylon dates back to 1930 when DuPont researcher Wallace Hume Carothers began attempts to create a rubber substitute from polymers of various materials. Initial research by Carothers' team created the synthetic rubber material neoprene and polyester fibers, according to the Chemical Heritage Foundation. Following political and economic problems between the U.S. and its main silk supplier Japan Carothers resumed the research that had led to the discovery of polyesters in an attempt to create a silk substitute. The Lemelson-MIT Program reports nylon was developed in an attempt to create a fabric for the textiles industry that would not melt at a temperature below 383 F. In the first year of research nylon 66 was discovered by Carothers' team, a material that had similar but superior characteristics to wool, silk and cotton.
Polymers
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According to the Chemical Heritage Foundation nylon fabric is produced by combining glycols, dibasic acids and strong acids in a molecular still. The resulting string like substance is a polymer rather than the polyesters that Carothers' team first discovered. The Chemistry Explained website reports that when nylon stockings were first marketed by the DuPont Company nylon was claimed to have been made from coal, air and water.
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Hosiery
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The first popular use of nylon fabric was in the use of women's hosiery, according to the Fiber Source. The DuPont Company announced the discovery of nylon 66 to the public in 1938 and exhibited the first nylon women's stockings at the San Francisco Exposition in 1939. When first released to the U.S. public in 1939 nylon stockings proved extremely popular until the outbreak of World War II saw the manufacturing of nylon diverted to materials used in the war.
Uses
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Nylon material is used in a variety of products including clothing, carpets, home furnishings and industrial products, according to the Lemelson-MIT Program. Nylon is also commonly used in the manufacture of parachute fabric, a practice the Chemical Heritage Foundation reports beginning around 1940 during World War II. The solid form of nylon material is used to create products such as snowmobile skis and bicycle wheels, according to Chemistry Explained.
Velcro
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The Chemistry Explained website explains one of the most common uses of nylon is in the production of Velcro. Invented in the 1950s by George de Mestral using tiny hooks and eyelets, the majority of Velcro is made using nylon or nylon blended with polyester.
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References
- Photo Credit office lady in high heels image by Hao Wang from Fotolia.com
