WHAT
MAKES UP KEVAR![](matrix.gif)
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.
![http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/Kevlar/](FiberTable.gif)
![http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/Kevlar/](Fig21.gif)
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.
![http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/Kevlar/](Photo-Xanes.gif)
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.