Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers, more specifically aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides. They can be melt-processed into fibers, films, or shapes. The first example of nylon (nylon 66) was produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. Nylon polymers have found significant commercial applications in fibers (apparel, flooring, and rubber reinforcement), in shapes (molded parts for cars, electrical equipment, etc.), and in thin-film (mostly for food packaging).
Nylon was intended to be a synthetic replacement for silk and substituted for it in many different products after silk became scarce during World War II. It replaced silk in military applications such as parachutes and flak vests and was used in many types of vehicle tires.
After the initial commercialization of nylon as a fiber, applications in the form of shapes and films were also developed. The main market for nylon shapes now is in auto components, but there are many others.
Flammability
Nylon is a material that ignites easily and burns rapidly upon exposure to an open flame. The 1967 Accident of the Apollo 1 Command Module was caused by an electrical short which created a fire that quickly consumed the interior of the cabin due to the pure oxygen environment and excessive amounts of flammable materials on board, most of which were nylons and Velcro.
- Due to its' flammability, it is advised that using a violet wand should be avoided
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