Flak jacket

Toward the end of the 1920s, the DuPont Corporation had a technological breakthrough that came as a result of fundamental, rather than applied research. The head of the company's research department noted at the time, "We are including in the budget for 1927 an item of $20,000 to cover what may be called, for want of a better name, pure science or fundamental research work... the sort of work we refer to... which has the object of establishing or discovering new scientific facts." In a short time the group that had been put together under this budget had developed an understanding of radical polymerization. (Polymers are any of numerous natural and synthetic compounds of usually high molecular weight consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units, each a relatively light and simple molecule. Polymerization is the bonding of two or more substances to form a polymer.).

The group established the basic principles for condensation polymerization and the structure of condensation polymers. This led to the invention and commercialization of nylon in 1938, which marked the beginning of the modern materials revolution. Many synthetic materials cascaded from DuPont research after that, forming the basis for many global businesses and products. They include such household names as Teflon and SilverStone certified non-stick finishes, Stainmaster flooring systems, Lycra spandex fiber and Mylar polyester film.

Scientist Stephanie Kwolek was part of that research group, and invented one of the modern world's most readily recognized and widely used materials: the Kevlar brand fiber, which is a fiber five times stronger once for ounce than steel, but about half the density of fiberglass. First marketed in 1971, Kevlar is best known to the public as the material from which bulletproof vests are made. In this use alone Kwolek's discovery has saved thousands of lives.

Kevlar products are also used in applications involving brake and transmission friction parts, gaskets, ropes and cables, composites, fiber optic cables, circuit board reinforcement, sporting goods, tires, automotive belts and hoses. Kevlar is often specified when requirements call for increased strength, reduced weight and/or extended wear life.

- From Fox's Official 24 Website