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Montage of photos of 8 women inventors

Top row: Marion O'Brien Donovan, Tara Astigarraga, Madison Maxey, Marilyn Hamilton. Bottom row: Michelle Khine, Marjorie Stewart Joyner, Alexis Lewis, Ellen Ochoa

Kwolek with large spool of yellow Kevlar fiber

Stephanie Kwolek

March 22, 2021 by Joyce Bedi

Throughout American history, women with diverse backgrounds and interests created inventions that change our lives every day.

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“To invent, I draw upon my knowledge, intuition, creativity, experience, common sense, perseverance, flexibility, and hard work.”

Stephanie Kwolek

inventors-kwolek-stephanie-kwolek-2014248-01-01-04-017-c-hagley-museum-library-750-inline-edit.jpg

Kwolek at her desk

Stephanie Kwolek at her desk in the DuPont Pioneering Research Lab, 1982. Courtesy of Hagley Museum and Library

“When I joined DuPont in 1946,” chemist Stephanie Kwolek remarked, “women who got jobs in the lab would stay only a few years. . . . They were not promoted as rapidly as the men. But there were some of us who decided to stick it out, and I was one.” Assigned to research extra strong and stable polymers in 1964, Kwolek turned to solutions in which all the molecules line up in one direction—like a string of pearls, as she often described it. Her experiments resulted in the invention of Kevlar, an incredibly strong, stiff, and lightweight synthetic fiber that has broad applications, from bullet-resistant vests and military helmets to fencing gloves.

innovative-lives-kwolek-stephanie-1996-by-jeff-tinsley-0040-img0067-750-inline-edit.jpg

Stephanie Kwolek holds a spool of yellow Kevlar thread in her right hand and has pulled out a thread and stretched it about 16 inches with her left hand. She has short gray hair and is wearing a gray patterned shirt and pearl necklace under a black jacket. A larger spool of Kevlar fiber, a rope, gloves, and a helmet are displayed on a table in front of her.

Stephanie Kwolek with a display of Kevlar products, part of her Innovative Lives presentation at the Lemelson Center in 1996. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Jeff Tinsley

artifacts-kevlar-kwolek-stephanie-ahb2011q19935-450-inline-edit.jpg

A 3/4 view from overhead of a Kevlar army helmet. The helmet is covered in tan, green, and brown camouflage-patterned cloth and the words “Tiger Woman” have been written in all capital letters on the top of the helment.

Model 8 Army EM helmet worn by Mary Rhoads during the Persian Gulf War. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Cassie Mancer, AHB2011q19935

 

artifacts-kevlar-kwolek-stephanie-Muhammad-Ibtihaj-fencing-glove-img-6318-450-inline-edit.jpg

Fencing glove worn by Ibtihaj Muhammad during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games . The glove is white and blue and made of 50% Kevlar, 25% metal, and 25% cotton. The glove has suede leather palms and fingers for added protection and Velcro at the cuff to secure the glove to the wrist. There are multi-colored stamps throughout the surface.

Fencing glove worn by Ibtihaj Muhammad during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Muhammad is an American saber fencer and the first Muslim American woman to wear a hijab while competing for the United States in an Olympics. USA Fencing won the bronze medal in the team competition, earning Muhammad the distinction of becoming the first woman Muslim American athlete to earn a medal at the Olympics. © Smithsonian Institution; photo by Joyce Bedi


Source for quote above: “Stephanie Kwolek, Kevlar,” Invention & Technology Magazine, https://www.inventionandtech.com/content/stephanie-kwolek-kevlar?page=full.

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