Nylon

Lore & Background

Researchers at DuPont began developing cellulose-based fibers, culminating in the synthetic fiber rayon. DuPont's experience with rayon was an important precursor to its development and marketing of nylon. Harvard instructor Wallace Hume Carothers was hired to direct the polymer research group. Initially he was allowed to focus on pure research, building on and testing the theories of German chemist Hermann Staudinger. He was very successful, as research he undertook greatly improved the knowledge of polymers and contributed to the science. Carothers died 16 months before the announcement of nylon, therefore he was never able to see his success. The name 'Nylon' came from the modification of norun (no run) into a unique name that could be used to market the product but was not trademarked. During World War II, almost all nylon production was diverted to the military for use in parachutes and parachute cord.

Reader's Guide

Nylon's significance lies in its role as the first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer, which revolutionized the textile and plastics industries. Its invention by DuPont demonstrated the importance of chemical engineering in industry, helped create jobs, and furthered the advancement of chemical engineering techniques. The production of nylon required interdepartmental collaboration between three departments at DuPont: the Department of Chemical Research, the Ammonia Department, and the Department of Rayon. The reactants of nylon soon constituted half of the Ammonia Department's sales and helped them come out of the period of the Great Depression by creating jobs and revenue at DuPont. However, early excitement caused problems, including unreasonable expectations and public distrust fueled by a rumor that nylon could be made from cadaverine extracted from corpses. DuPont changed its campaign strategy, emphasizing that nylon was made from 'coal, air and water', and focused on personal and aesthetic aspects. Nylon's legacy includes its extensive commercial applications in textiles, fibers, molded components, and films, and its wartime use in parachutes and parachute cord greatly increased the market for new materials.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Nylon' came from the modification of 'norun' (no run) into a unique name that could be used to market the product but was not trademarked.