Looking for a strong, stiff, and light weight fabric, the chemist Stephanie Kwolek developed Kevlar®.

Through her work with polymers, she created an unusual, very watery, and opalescent polymer solution, which, although initially seemed not optimal for fiber production, it resulted in the desired material. “It was unlike anything we had made before”, said Stephanie Kwolek.

Kevlar® is used in bullet proof vests, thanks to its capacity to absorb and dissipate the impact. It is also flame resistant and it can protect to up to 426°C.