What exactly is kevlar, aparrently its 5 times stronger than steel?
Kevlar is DuPont Company’s brand name for a particular light but very strong aramid fibre. It was created in DuPont’s labs in 1965 by Stephanie Kwolek and Herbert Blades, and was first used commercially in the early 1970s. It can be spun into ropes or sheets of fabric that can either be used as-is, or used in the construction of composite components. It is now used in a wide range of applications – from bicycles to body armor – due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, five times greater than that of steel. When Kevlar is spun in the same way that a spider spins a web, the resulting fibre has tremendous strength, and is heat- and cut-resistant. The fibres do not rust or corrode, and their strength is unaffected by water. When woven together, they form a good material for mooring lines and other underwater objects. However, unless specially waterproofed, Kevlar’s ability to stop bullets and other projectiles is degraded when wet. There are three common grades of Kevlar: Kevlar, Kevlar 2
