Editing Nylon (section)

== Uses ==

Nylon was first used commercially in a nylon-[[bristle]]d [[toothbrush]] in 1938,<ref name="AOGHS"/><ref name="Nicholson"/> followed more famously in women's [[stocking]]s or "[[Fully fashioned stockings|nylons]]" which were shown at the [[1939 New York World's Fair]] and first sold commercially in 1940.<ref name="Wolfe2008"/> Its use increased dramatically during World War II, when the need for fabrics increased dramatically.

=== Fibres ===
[[File:The worn out nylon stockings in this barrel full of salvaged stockings will be reprocessed and made into parachutes... - NARA - 196427.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|These worn out nylon stockings will be reprocessed and made into parachutes for army fliers {{circa|1942}}]]
[[File:Blue nylon ball gown 2007.154.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Blue nylon fabric ball gown by [[Emma Domb]], [[Science History Institute]] ]]

Bill Pittendreigh, [[DuPont]], and other individuals and corporations worked diligently during the first few months of World War II to find a way to replace Asian [[silk]] and [[hemp]] with nylon in parachutes. It was also used to make [[tire]]s, [[tent]]s, [[rope]]s, [[poncho]]s, and other [[armed forces|military]] supplies. It was even used in the production of a high-grade paper for U.S. [[currency]]. At the outset of the war, [[cotton]] accounted for more than 80% of all fibres used and manufactured, and [[wool]] fibres accounted for nearly all of the rest. By August 1945, manufactured fibres had taken a market share of 25%, at the expense of cotton. After the war, because of shortages of both silk and nylon, nylon parachute material was sometimes repurposed to make dresses.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Caruso|first=David|title=Saving the (Wedding) Day: Oral History Spotlight|journal=Transmutations|year=2009|volume=Fall|issue=5|pages=2|url=http://www.chemheritage.org/Downloads/Publications/Transmutations/05-Transmutations_Fall-2009.pdf|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509093859/http://www.chemheritage.org/Downloads/Publications/Transmutations/05-Transmutations_Fall-2009.pdf|archive-date=May 9, 2016}}</ref>

Nylon 6 and 66 fibres are used in [[Carpet#Nylon|carpet]] manufacture.

Nylon is one kind of fibre used in [[Tire#Materials|tire cord]]. [[Herman E. Schroeder]] pioneered application of nylon in tires.

=== Molds and resins ===

Nylon resins are widely used in the automobile industry especially in the engine compartment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Engine Oil Pan|url=http://www.materialdatacenter.com/mb/main/pdf/application/16449|website=www.materialdatacenter.com|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="Kohan"/>{{rp|514}}

Molded nylon is used in hair combs and [[machine|mechanical]] parts such as [[machine screw]]s, [[gear]]s, gaskets, and other low- to medium-stress components previously cast in metal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espemfg.com/nylon-machining-fabrication.html|title=Nylon Machining & Fabrication {{!}} ESPE|website=www.espemfg.com|access-date=2018-08-28}}</ref><ref name=Youssef>{{cite book|last1=Youssef|first1=Helmi A.|last2=El-Hofy|first2=Hassan A.|last3=Ahmed|first3=Mahmoud H.|title=Manufacturing technology : materials, processes, and equipment|date=2011|publisher=Taylor & Francis/CRC Press|location=Boca Raton, FL|isbn=9781439810859|page=350|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KGbNBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA350}}</ref> Engineering-grade nylon is processed by [[extrusion]], [[casting]], and [[injection molding]]. Type 6,6 Nylon 101 is the most common commercial grade of nylon, and Nylon 6 is the most common commercial grade of molded nylon.<ref>{{cite web|title=NYLON 6,6 (Nylon 6)|url=http://www.serrata.com.au/Instructions/1021048.pdf|website=Serrata|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="Difference">{{cite web|title=Nylon 6 vs. Nylon 66: What's the Difference?|url=http://www.polyone.com/idea/nylon-6-vs-nylon-66-whats-difference|website=PolyOne|access-date=5 July 2017}}</ref> For use in tools such as [[spudger]]s, nylon is available in [[glass-filled polymer|glass-filled variants]] which increase structural and impact strength and rigidity, and [[molybdenum disulfide]]-filled variants which increase [[lubricity]]. Nylon can be used as the matrix material in [[composite material]]s, with reinforcing fibres like glass or carbon fibre; such a composite has a higher [[density]] than pure nylon.<ref name=PerformanceComposites>{{cite web|title=Fiberglass and Composite Material Design Guide|url=http://www.performancecomposites.com/about-composites-technical-info/122-designing-with-fiberglass.html|website=Performance Composites Inc.|access-date=27 January 2015}}</ref> Such thermoplastic composites (25% to 30% glass fibre) are frequently used in car components next to the engine, such as intake manifolds, where the good heat resistance of such materials makes them feasible competitors to metals.<ref name=Page2000>{{cite book|last1=Page|first1=I. B.|title=Polyamides as engineering thermoplastic materials|date=2000|publisher=Rapra Technology Ltd.|location=Shawbury, Shrewsbury|isbn=9781859572207|page=115|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Aj6dW2rRzqYC&pg=PA115}}</ref>

Nylon was used to make the stock of the [[Remington Nylon 66]] rifle.<ref name=Field1971>{{cite journal|title=How do you take care of a nylon 66 or 77? You don't|journal=Field & Stream|year=1971|volume=75|issue=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GuHsz08Q32kC&pg=PA1}}</ref> The frame of the modern [[Glock]] pistol is made of a nylon composite.<ref name=Glock2013>{{cite book|last1=Sweeney|first1=Patrick|title=Glock deconstructed|date=2013|publisher=Krause|location=Iola, Wis.|isbn=978-1440232787|page=92|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zd0TiqiZgAUC&pg=PA92}}</ref>

=== Food packaging ===

Nylon resins are used as a component of food packaging films where an oxygen barrier is needed.<ref name="BPF"/> Some of the terpolymers based upon nylon are used every day in packaging. Nylon has been used for [[meat]] wrappings and [[sausage]] sheaths.<ref name=Colbert2013>{{cite book|last1=Colbert|first1=Judy|title=It happened in Delaware : remarkable events that shaped history|date=2013|publisher=Morris Book Publishing|isbn=978-0-7627-6968-1|edition=First|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HJOEBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA62}}</ref> The high temperature resistance of nylon makes it useful for oven bags.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oven Bags|url=http://www.cooksinfo.com/oven-bags|website=Cooks Info|access-date=19 April 2015}}</ref>

=== Filaments ===

Nylon filaments are primarily used in brushes especially toothbrushes<ref name="AOGHS">{{cite news|title=Nylon, a Petroleum Polymer|url=http://aoghs.org/products/petroleum-product-nylon-fiber/|access-date=21 June 2017|work=American Oil and Gas Historical Society}}</ref> and [[string trimmer]]s. They are also used as monofilaments in [[Fishing line#Modern lines|fishing line]]. Nylon 610 and 612 are the most used polymers for filaments.

Its various properties also make it very useful as a material in [[additive manufacturing]]; specifically, as a filament in consumer and professional grade [[fused deposition modeling]] 3D printers.

=== Other forms ===

Nylon resins can be extruded into rods, tubes, and sheets.<ref name="Kohan"/>{{rp|209}}

Nylon powders are used to powder coat metals. [[Nylon 11]] and nylon 12 are the most widely used.<ref name="Kohan"/>{{rp|53}}

In the mid-1940s, classical guitarist [[Andrés Segovia]] mentioned the shortage of good guitar strings in the United States, particularly his favorite Pirastro [[catgut]] strings, to a number of foreign diplomats at a party, including General Lindeman of the British Embassy. A month later, the General presented Segovia with some nylon strings which he had obtained via some members of the DuPont family. Segovia found that although the strings produced a clear sound, they had a faint metallic [[timbre]] which he hoped could be eliminated.<ref name=Guitar>{{cite web|title=The History of Classical guitar strings|url=http://www.maestros-of-the-guitar.com/classicalguitarstrings.html|website=Maestros of the Guitar|access-date=27 January 2015}}</ref> Nylon strings were first tried on stage by Olga Coelho in New York in January 1944.<ref name="Bellow">{{cite book|last1=Bellow|first1=Alexander|title=The Illustrated History of the Guitar|date=1970|publisher=Franco Colombo|location=New York|page=193}}</ref> In 1946, Segovia and string maker [[Albert Augustine Ltd.|Albert Augustine]] were introduced by their mutual friend Vladimir Bobri, editor of Guitar Review. On the basis of Segovia's interest and Augustine's past experiments, they decided to pursue the development of nylon strings. DuPont, skeptical of the idea, agreed to supply the nylon if Augustine would endeavor to develop and produce the actual strings. After three years of development, Augustine demonstrated a nylon first string whose quality impressed guitarists, including Segovia, in addition to DuPont.<ref name=Guitar/> Wound strings, however, were more problematic. Eventually, however, after experimenting with various types of metal and smoothing and polishing techniques, Augustine was also able to produce high quality nylon wound strings.<ref name=Guitar/>