The Discovery Of Nylon – Eighty Years Ago

It was eighty years ago that DuPont transformed the world with their discovery of nylon This revolutionary material was actually the world’s first synthetic fibre and its discovery paved the way for the development of exciting new manmade materials including Teflon and Kevlar later on in the future.

Wallace Carothers Created The First Example Of Nylon In 1935

Wallace Carothers was an organic chemist who was employed in the DuPont research laboratory in 1935 and discovered nylon whilst exploring the development of a synthetic alternative to silk. When silk became scarce during World War II, Nylon made an excellent substitute as a silky thermoplastic material.

Silk was an essential material used in all kinds of applications but at the time most crucially in the production of parachutes, vests and vehicle tyres by the military. At a time when everything was recycled and reused, nylon stockings were processed and the material used to create new parachutes.

The first commercial use of nylon was in the production of toothbrush bristles in 1938.

What Is Nylon?

Nylon is the name that is given to a group of synthetic polymers that are called polyamides. There are different types of nylon and each is assigned a different numerical suffix, indicating the quantity of carbons it contains.

Nylon 6 for example is amongst the most commonly used types of nylon, popular due to its elasticity and impact resistance.

Nylon 6,6 is the most commonly used nylon of all these days, boasting high resistance to sunlight and abrasion, excellent colourfastness and a high melting point, (which is most handy when you are attempting to iron an item).

The characteristics of this material make it incredibly versatile which has fuelled its popular usage in all manner of applications. As a material, it is strong and lightweight with non-absorbent fibres that make it dirt resistant and smooth.

A Valuable Part Of Our Everyday Lives

Since its first commercial use in 1938, nylon has gradually become increasingly important and an important material in our everyday lives. The characteristics described above and its low cost, make nylon a popular choice for clothing.

As a colourfast material that wearable and easy to care for, it is likely that nylon will remain in favour with consumers and manufacturers for the foreseeable future.

Other common uses of this versatile material include:

•        Strings for musical instruments
•        Cable ties
•        Carpets

Other grades of nylon have a solid form with different levels of flexibility and strength. Uses include:

•        Injection moulding
•        Casting
•        Machinery components
•        Mobile phones
•        Car parts
•        Food packaging

Weighing considerably less than metal made nylon a popular material for use in the car industry, enabling manufacturers to make vehicles lighter and more affordable. These days approximately 50% of the DuPont nylon production is made for this industry and it is predicted that this market will continue to grow considerably in the future. 

A Remarkable Discovery

All in all the discovery of nylon was a truly remarkable one and eighty years on, we have a lot to thank Wallace Carothers and DuPont for, considering the part this fantastic material plays in our everyday lives.