WHAT MAKES UP KEVAR

Kevlar is a synthetic (person-made) material known as a polymer. A polymer is a chain made of many similar molecular groups bonded together called monomers.

A single Kevlar polymer chain could have anywhere from five to a million segments bonded together. Each Kevlar segment or monomer is a chemical unit that contains 14 carbon atoms, 2 nitrogen atoms, 2 oxygen atoms and 10 hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen bonds greatly strenghten the polymer chain.

The pattern shows that the aromatic components of Kevlar have a radial (spoke-like) orientation.
The radial orientation is important because it allows the polymer chains to be well-ordered and symmetric like the atoms in a crystal. Because of this highly ordered structure, a fiber of Kevlar has few structural flaws or weak places. This lack of flaws or weak places is the biggest reason for the exceptional strength of Kevlar.

HOW KEVLAR WORKS

Kevlar is a magnificent material due to the way that it can disperse the energy and force of an object by its chemical composition. As we know from physics, the pressure that an object exerts on another object is equal to the force divided by the area. Kevlar is remarkable at absorbing and displacing the pressure of an object.

Pressure = Force/Area

F = (mass * gravity)

The ability to absorb energy and displace the pressure of an object makes Kevlar so useful in protecting us from knives, bullets and infinite types of sharp objects.

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