Editing Kevlar (section)

== History ==
[[File:Stephanie Kwolek Women in Chemistry from video.png|thumb|left|Inventor of Kevlar, [[Stephanie Kwolek]], a Polish-American chemist]]

Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (K29) – branded Kevlar – was invented by the Polish-American chemist [[Stephanie Kwolek]] while working for DuPont, in anticipation of a gasoline shortage. In 1964, her group began searching for a new lightweight strong fiber to use for light, but strong, tires.<ref name="MIT">{{cite web |title=Inventing Modern America: Insight&nbsp;— Stephanie Kwolek |url=http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/ima/kwolek_bio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327141201/http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/ima/kwolek_bio.html | publisher=Lemelson-[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] program |archive-date=March 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 24, 2009}}</ref> The polymers she had been working with, poly-p-phenylene-terephthalate and polybenzamide,<ref name="Bookrags">{{Cite book |title=Stephanie Louise Kwolek Biography |url=http://www.bookrags.com/biography/stephanie-louise-kwolek-woi/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629171913/http://www.bookrags.com/biography/stephanie-louise-kwolek-woi/ |publisher=Bookrags |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=May 24, 2009 }}</ref> formed [[liquid crystal]]s in solution, something unique to polymers at the time.<ref name="MIT"/>

The solution was "cloudy, [[opalescent]] upon being stirred, and of low [[viscosity]]" and usually was thrown away. However, Kwolek persuaded the technician, Charles Smullen, who ran the [[Spinneret (polymers)|spinneret]], to test her solution, and was amazed to find that the fiber did not break, unlike [[nylon]]. Her supervisor and her laboratory director understood the significance of her discovery and a new field of [[polymer chemistry]] quickly arose. By 1971, modern Kevlar was introduced.<ref name="MIT" /> However, Kwolek was not very involved in developing the applications of Kevlar.<ref name="American Heritage">{{cite web |first=Jim |last=Quinn|title=I was able to be Creative and work as hard as I wanted|url=http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2003/3/2003_3_60.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202052507/http://americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/2003/3/2003_3_60.shtml |publisher=American Heritage Publishing|archive-date=December 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 24, 2009}}</ref>

In 1971, [[Lester Shubin]], who was then the Director of Science and Technology for the National Institute for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice,<ref name=PBAS>{{cite book|author=United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment|title=Police Body Armor Standards and Testing, p. 97|publisher=U.S. Govt. Printing Office|date=August 1992|isbn=9781428921368|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVgbzZjTkWwC}}</ref> suggested using Kevlar to replace nylon in bullet-proof vests.<ref>{{cite news|author=Corie Lok|title=Life Vest: Lester Shubin and Nicholas Montanarelli turned Kevlar into lifesaving armor|publisher=Technology Review|date=February 2005|url=http://www.technologyreview.com/business/14182/}}</ref>  Prior to the introduction of Kevlar, [[flak jacket]]s made of nylon had provided much more limited protection to users.  Shubin later recalled how the idea developed: "We folded it over a couple of times and shot at it. The bullets didn't go through." In tests, they strapped Kevlar onto anesthetized goats and shot at their hearts, spinal cords, livers and lungs. They monitored the goats' heart rate and blood gas levels to check for lung injuries. After 24 hours, one goat died and the others had wounds that were not life threatening.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/us/03shubin.html|title=Lester Shubin Dies at 84; Used Kevlar in Vests, Saving Lives|newspaper=The New York Times|date=3 December 2009|last1=Martin|first1=Douglas}}</ref><ref name=WSJ>{{cite news|author=Patricia Sullivan|title=Lester D. Shubin, 84: Developed the Kevlar bulletproof vest|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=2009-11-26|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/25/AR2009112503917.html}}</ref>{{verify source|date=July 2023}}  Shubin received a $5 million grant to research the use of the fabric in bullet-proof vests.

Kevlar 149 was invented by [[Jacob Lahijani]] of Dupont in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.hagley.org/VID_2011320_B05_ID01|title = Innovation: Agent of Change}}</ref>