Inventor of Kevlar® to be Inducted into National Women's Hall of Fame
Inventor of Kevlar® to be Inducted into National Women's Hall of Fame
DuPont scientist Stephanie Kwolek (Plate 2) – who has helped save nearly 3,000 lives in law enforcement through her research leading to the discovery of DuPonte Kevlar® aramid fiber – will join 11 other women in the National Women's Hall of Fame, Class of 2003. These women include Anne Sullivan, best known as Helen Keller's teacher who became a renowned educator; Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African-American woman to be appointed as US Cabinet Secretary; and Donna De Varona, Olympic record-setting swimmer who became the first full-time female sports broadcaster. Since the Hall's founding 35 years back, only 195 women have been inducted.
Plate 2
“This group of outstanding women represents one of the most diverse ever inducted into the Hall of Fame,” said Hall of Fame Board President Clotide Perez-Bode Dedecker. “They are among the most inventive,courageous, and remarkable women whose inspirations promise to affect generations to come.”
“I am honored and, quite frankly, humbled to be a part of the National Women's Hall of Fame and its storied history,” Kwolek said. “In my career at DuPont, I was fortunate to work side- by-side with the best and brightest people the world had to offer. DuPont provided me unique opportunities to grow and flourish both personally and professionally. This honor is really a tribute to the outstanding people and science of DuPont.”
DuPonte Kevlar® is an organic fiber in the aromatic polyamide(aramid) family that combines high strength with light weight, and comfort with protection. Kevlar® is five times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis, providing reliable performance and solid strength. It is this balance of unusual properties which is responsible for the broad range of Kevlar®applications from ballistic vests to cut-resistant gloves to blast and flame barriers. In addition, Kevlar® can be built into sports gear to bring out the best performance. These include bicycle tyres that are virtually flat-free and puncture-resistant; running shoes that maximize the energy output of runners; boats that are lighter and more damage-tolerant and; durable lightweight sails that tolerate high winds and salt water.
Kevlar® is perhaps best known for its use in bullet- and knife-resistant body armor. Nearly 3,000 law enforcement officers have survived potentially fatal or disabling injuries because they were wearing personal body armor. In addition, every US combat soldier has worn a helmet of DuPonte Kevlar®since the Gulf War in 1991.
Kwolek joined DuPont in 1946 as a laboratory chemist in Buffalo, NY. Having just graduated from what is currently Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, she said she originally intended to work for DuPont for only a few years – just long enough to save enough money for medical school.
“I became so enamored of my work that I forgot about medical school and instead continued to work for DuPont,” said Kwolek, who spent most of her 40 year career with DuPont at the Experimental Station in Wilmington. “And the reason I think I continued was because I had a great deal of freedom, and there was a tremendous amount of excitement because we were constantly making inventions of one sort or another.”
Kwolek's earliest work at DuPont pioneered low-temperature processes for the preparation of condensation polymers and resulted in hundreds of new polymers,including DuPonte Kapton® polyimide film and DuPonte Nomex®aramid polymer and fiber. Her groundbreaking discoveries in the 1960s in the area of liquid crystalline polymer solutions formed the basis for the commercial preparation of Kevlar® aramid fiber.
Kevlar® fibers are based on poly- paraphenylene terephthalamide, a rigid molecule that makes it easier to achieve fully extended(straight) chain configuration. In addition, the poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide molecule has an excellent resistance to high temperatures and flames. Offering strength under heat, Kevlar® protects against thermal hazards up to 8008 F.
Inductees of the National Women's Hall of Fame are chosen through a rigorous national selection process. Judges include leaders in science, education,business, arts and prominent national organizations. Selection criteria for induction include the enduring value of a nominee's contribution to society and her significant contributions to the science, arts, business, education,government, humanities, athletics, or philanthropy.
The National Women's Hall of Fame is a national membership organization recognizing and celebrating the achievements of individual American women. The Hall was founded in historic Seneca Falls, NY, the site of the first Women's Rights Convention in 1848. A not-profit educational organization, its programs include inductions of distinguished American women, educational activities,special exhibits, and events for the enrichment of public understanding and appreciation of the diverse contributions that women make to the society.
