The Rich History Behind The Industrial Plastic: Nylon

The word Nylon is used to describe a combination of polymers (synthetic) that are also called aliphatic polymadies. These are made by a step growth polymerization process. The easiest way to explain this complicated process is to imagine a family standing in a circle. Each person extends their hand and holds the hand of the person next to them, forming a “human chain”. This would be the easiest way to describe how polymers are synthetically produced.

This industrial polymer was first introduced to United States by way of bristles on a toothbrush and later altered in the form of nylon stockings in the late 1930’s. In 1939, this material was introduced via the World Fair (in New York) as a new “fabric”. One of the biggest pushes to fabricate this plastic into threads was due to the scarcity of silk during the first few months of WWII. The intent was to create a way to produce military applications with synthetic fibers to replace the silk made ones. In the early 1940’s, it went on to replace items made of silk such as tires, sheets, vests, parachutes, durable rope, rain gear and even tires.

Interestingly enough, this industrial plastic comes in many forms, one of them being rods and bars (more solid than fibers). Because of its durability and ability to be molded, this form came to replace heavier mechanisms and was made into screws, gears and other tools that were once made of metal.

So ladies, the next time you pull up those “nylons”, know that there is a long history behind the materials used to make them.

To learn more about the engineering of Nylon or to purchase this material wholesale,  click here.