aramid

aramid, any of a series of synthetic polymers (substances made of long chainlike multiple-unit molecules) in which repeating units containing large phenyl rings are linked together by amide groups. Amide groups (CO-NH) form strong bonds that are resistant to solvents and heat. Phenyl rings (or aromatic rings) are bulky six-sided groups of carbon and hydrogen atoms that prevent polymer chains from rotating and twisting around their chemical bonds. As a result, aramids are rigid, straight, high-melting, and largely insoluble molecules that are ideal for spinning into high-performance fibres. The best known aramids are Nomex, a high-melting fibre made into flame-proof protective clothing, and Kevlar, a high-strength fibre made into bulletproof vests.

The development of aramids followed that of nylon, a related class of polyamides produced by reacting acids containing carboxyl groups (CO₂H) with compounds containing amino groups (NH₂). During the 1950s and 1960s, methods for extending this class to compounds containing carbon rings were devised by researchers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (now DuPont Company) in the United States. Particularly as developed by Paul W. Morgan and Stephanie L. Kwolek, these methods involved dissolving the acids and amines in suitable solvents and reacting them at low temperatures. In 1961 DuPont introduced Nomex, or poly-m-phenylene isophthalamide, a product of isophthalic acid chloride and m-phenylenediamine, and in 1971 it introduced Kevlar, or poly-p-phenylene terephthalamide, produced from terephthalic acid chloride and p-phenylenediamine. These two polymers are distinguished by the structure of their molecules, Nomex being characterized by meta-oriented phenyl rings and Kevlar by para-oriented rings:

Nomex melts and simultaneously decomposes at approximately 350 °C (660 °F); the melting point of Kevlar is above 500 °C (930 °F). The higher melting point of Kevlar, as well as its greater stiffness and tensile strength, partly results from the regular para-orientation of its molecules. In solution the polymer assumes a liquid-crystal arrangement, which orients the molecules so that they can be spun and drawn into highly ordered fibres of ultrahigh stiffness and strength. (Kevlar is five times stronger per weight than steel.) Other trademarked Kevlar-type fibres are Twaron (from the Dutch company Akso NV) and Technora (from the Japanese company Teijin, Ltd.). A Nomex-type fibre is also produced by Teijin under the Conex trademark.

Aramids are not produced in as high a volume as commodity fibres such as nylon and polyester, but because of their high unit price they represent a lucrative market. End uses for aramids in the home are few (Nomex-type fibres have been made into ironing-board covers), but industrial uses are increasing (especially for aramids of the Kevlar class) as designers of products learn how to exploit the properties offered by these unusual materials. Aside from lightweight body armour, Kevlar and its competitors are employed in belts for radial tires, cables, reinforced composites for aircraft panels and boat hulls, flame-resistant garments (especially in blends with Nomex), and sports equipment such as golf club shafts and lightweight bicycles and as replacements for asbestos in automobile clutches and brakes. Nomex-type fibres are made into filter bags for hot-stack gases, clothes for presses that apply permanent-press finishes to fabrics, dryer belts for papermakers, insulation paper and braid for electric motors, flame-resistant suits for fire fighters, military pilots, and race-car drivers, and automobile v-belts and hoses.