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Did you know? Insight - Stephanie Kwolek
Doug Engelbart
Thomas Fogarty
Ashok Gadgil
Stephanie Kwolek
 Stephanie Kowlek Biography The most famous application of Kevlar is in bulletproof vests, which are made of layers of fabric woven from strands of the super-strong fiber. Patents In 1964, Stephanie Kwolek investigated a curious chemical solution in her DuPont lab; that polymer eventually became Kevlar, a fiber five times as strong as steel and lighter than fiberglass. Videos In its raw form, Kevlar is simply a fiber. The fibers are woven into textiles (like those used in body armor) or combined with other materials. Interview

Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award Profile
Video 1:
Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award Profile
This video profile of Stephanie Kwolek—made after she won the Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999—celebrates her life and her work on Kevlar and other sophisticated polymers. It includes footage and historic photos of her childhood, early career, and later work.

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Kevlar Containment Rings for Jet Engines
Video 2:
Kevlar Containment Rings for Jet Engines
An airplane's jet turbines spin at a very great speed during flight. Occasionally, a piece of the turbine breaks. The shattered metal is moving fast enough to cut through the engine and, perhaps, the rest of the plane. Kevlar is used as part of a containment shield around the turbine that traps or deflects any stray pieces of engine. This video illustrates Kevlar's resistance to puncture in relation to jet engines.

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Doug Engelbart Thomas Fogarty Ashok Gadgil Stephanie Kwolek Paul MacCready
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