What Is Nylon?
QUICK ANSWER
Nylon is a synthetic polymer made of repeating amide groups linked together in long chains. Developed by DuPont in 1935, nylon was the first fully synthetic fiber and a breakthrough in materials science. It's strong, elastic, resistant to abrasion, and used in clothing, ropes, parachutes, gears, and countless other products.
Nylon was a revolutionary material when it debuted in 1939, replacing silk in stockings and quickly spreading into nearly every industry. The fiber is strong, flexible, durable, and inexpensive once mass production was established. Today, nylon is one of the most widely used synthetic materials in the world, found in everything from clothing to engine parts to fishing line. The polymer is so versatile that it's hard to find a household without some nylon in it.
What is nylon made of?
Nylon is a polyamide, a polymer made of repeating units linked by amide bonds (also called peptide bonds, the same kind that link amino acids in proteins). The most common variety, nylon 6,6, is made from two monomers: adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine. When these react, they link in alternating fashion, releasing water at each link (condensation polymerization). The resulting chains can be drawn into fibers, molded into shapes, or formed into films. Different nylons (nylon 6, nylon 11, nylon 12) use different starting monomers and have slightly different properties.
Who invented nylon?
Nylon was invented at DuPont by Wallace Carothers and his team, with the breakthrough announced in 1938 after years of research. Carothers, a brilliant chemist who suffered from depression, died in 1937 before nylon was commercially launched. The first nylon stockings went on sale in 1940 and were immediately sold out. When World War II started, nylon production was redirected to military uses including parachutes, ropes, tires, and other equipment. After the war, civilian nylon production resumed and quickly expanded into clothing, carpets, and many other consumer goods.
What is nylon used for?
Nylon's uses span enormous categories. Clothing and textiles: hosiery, sportswear, swimwear, lingerie, jackets, and outdoor gear. Ropes and lines: climbing ropes, fishing lines, dental floss, parachute cords. Engineering plastics: gears, bearings, bushings, electrical connectors, automotive parts. Carpets: most synthetic carpets are nylon. Industrial fabrics: tents, sails, conveyor belts, airbags. Medical devices: sutures, prosthetics. Even some musical instrument strings (classical guitar strings) are nylon. The polymer's strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals make it useful almost anywhere.
What are nylon's properties?
Nylon is strong relative to its weight (high tensile strength), elastic enough to stretch and return, and remarkably resistant to abrasion. It melts rather than burning easily, with a melting point around 256°C for nylon 6,6. Nylon resists most chemicals, oils, and solvents, though it can be damaged by strong acids. It absorbs some moisture from the air, which slightly weakens it and is why nylon stockings can become baggy in humid weather. Nylon can be dyed in any color and can be made into thin films, thick blocks, or fine fibers depending on the application.
Nylon is a synthetic polymer that helped launch the modern era of materials science. From its 1938 invention by Wallace Carothers to its current ubiquity in clothing, ropes, and engineering plastics, nylon has been one of the most successful synthetic materials ever made. Its combination of strength, flexibility, and durability remains hard to beat.
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