There are few chemicals that have caused as much excitement in the general population as nylon.
During the 1930s, the world’s population was rapidly growing. Textile manufacturers struggled to keep up with demand for new clothing, so chemical companies were racing for a strong, easy to manufacture synthetic fibre. The ultimate prize was an artificial silk that would have the sheen and strength of the natural fibre, but could be manufactured by machines instead of worms.
In 1935, Wallace Carothers hit that jackpot with the invention of nylon. Nylon is a polymer (repeating units of a chemical that form a long chain) that is quite simple to make. Two reagents, sebacoyl chloride and hexanediamine, are layered carefully on top of one another in a container. At the interface between the two layers, a chemical reaction takes place, creating nylon. As the nylon is pulled up and away from the interface, the two layers continue to react, forming a continuous strand.
DuPont Laboratories, the company Carothers worked for, realized their new fibre was going to change the fashion industry. They knew that it would be an ideal fabric for making women’s stockings, replacing the easily torn and sometimes saggy silk stockings. DuPont boasted the arrival of their wonderful new stocking material for two years, while they finalized their manufacture before selling them in stores. Nylon’s strength was demonstrated at the World’s Fairs in 1938 and 1939, whetting consumer appetite for this revolutionary fabric. DuPont sold 780,000 pairs of nylon stockings on the first day of nationwide sales in the United States on May 15, 1940.
Nylon’s utility didn’t stop there. It went into wrinkle-free suits, permanently pleated skirts, and men’s socks and ties. Starting in 1942, all the nylon produced by DuPont went to the war effort to make tents, rope, flags, uniforms, shoelaces, and hammocks.
Unfortunately, Carothers didn’t live to see the great impact of his discovery or even to learn the popularized name of his invention. After suffering through depression and alcoholism, Carothers committed suicide in 1939.
Nylon’s popularity has faded somewhat from its position during the 1940s, but this fibre retains its importance in history. Nylon’s introduction not only changed textile manufacture but also paved the way for the invention of many other synthetic fibres.
