Category Polymers

How is melamine made?

           Do you have shiny, plastic cookware and plates in your kitchen? Most of these plates are made of melamine.

           Melamine is an organic compound which is mostly made of nitrogen. It is used to make a lot of industrial products like dinnerware, adhesives, glues, coatings and flame retardants.

           These days, urea is used as a starting material for the production of melamine. It can also be made from dicyandiamide or hydrogen cyanide. Urea is broken down and reacted to form melamine-formaldehyde resins.

           This can be moulded into different shapes forming dishes, handles, containers and so on.

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Who discovered Kevlar?

           Nylon is not the only revolutionary material that took birth in Du Pont. Kevlar too was developed in the laboratories of Du Pont. This time, they were trying to manufacture a stronger tyre and during her efforts, Stephanie Kwolek accidentally discovered Kevlar.

           Kevlar is used to make a range of products. It is used to make the inner lining of bicycle tyres, as Kevlar lining helps the tyres to last longer and avoid being punctured. It also has a variety of applications in sports and musical instruments. Nike was the first company to use Kevlar to make sports shoes. They were followed by several others including Adidas.

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Which polymer is commonly used to make bulletproof vests?

           There are metals that can resist bullets. But it would be difficult to carry bulletproof vests made of metals. The more convenient option is a lighter, strong fibre which will prevent the bullets from hitting your body and easy to wear at the same time. And that is why Kevlar is used for this purpose.

           Kevlar is one of the strongest materials on earth; when it is woven into fabric, it is five times stronger than steel. It can even resist knives. Kevlar has a strong ring-like structure and can resist high temperatures. It is used for making many types of body armour.

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How did nylon get its name?

            There are so many stories about the naming of nylon. A popular one goes like this: the polymer was named after two cities- New York and London. However, this is not true.

            The chemists of Du Pont had a tough time naming the new polymer Wallace discovered. Names like Duparooh -that honoured the company- and Wacara – that honoured Wallace- were suggested, but never really got an approval. After lengthy discussions, it was decided to name the polymer by adding the suffix -on, just as in cotton and rayon. The name ‘nuron’ was suggested and it got some approval. But, this name would probably be confused for a nerve tonic and was later modified to ‘nylon’.

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How is nylon 6 different from nylon 66?

           Both nylon 6 and nylon 66 are durable polymers. Their properties differ based on how the monomers are bonded.

           Monomers of caprolactam from nylon 6.  The monomers have 6 carbon atoms each. On the other hand, nylon 66 has two types of monomers – hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid. The repeating units have twelve carbon atoms. Nylon 6 is formed through a complex reaction called ring opening polymerization, while nylon 66 is formed through condensation polymerization.

           Nylon 6 has high strength and is very flexible. So, it is used to make things like gears, ropes, bearings and other parts of cars. Nylon 66 is rigid and is also resistant to heat and chemicals. Therefore, it is used in the textile industry to make garments and carpets.

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Were Nylon riots real?

           Would you believe it if someone tells you that there were riots in the name of a polymer? Well, be ready for surprises. Nylon riots were real! It happened in the US after the Second World War.

           Du Pont started making nylon stockings towards the end of the 1930s which drove American women crazy. Stockings were highly sought-after hosiery. Around four million stockings were sold in a day. During the war years, the silk export from Japan ceased and there was a shortage of nylon, as it was used to make war materials like parachutes and tents. Nylon stockings were produced no more. This created a shortage. It was so fashionable; black markets sold a few at high prices and many women resorted to paint their legs like transparent nylon stockings!

           After the war, nylon stockings reappeared in the markets. Hundreds of women lined up in the stores to get hold of limited nylon stockings. The shortage of stockings led to a series of disturbances in the US that occasionally broke into fights. Women flooded the stores knocking down shelves, and fighting hammer and tongs for the limited stock. The situation became terrible in Pittsburgh when 40,000 women lined up for 13,000 pairs of stockings.

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