Summary
- Who is Wallace Hume Carothers
- How Wallace Hume Carothers discovered nylon
- Where nylon was used
- Differences between natural fibers and nylon
- How was the life of Wallace Hume Carothers
The Sad Inventor of Nylon PA 6.6
Wallace Hume Carothers was born in the United States on April 27, 1896 to a modest family whose father was a school teacher.
However, he managed to go to the University of Illinois and graduated in philosophy in 1924 and in chemistry in 1928, a degree that opened the doors to a brilliant career in the world of new chemistry.
As soon as he finished his studies, he was immediately hired by the Du Pont firm, as director of the research department of organic chemistry which was located in Wilmington, Delaware.
Through the study on the synthesis of adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine he obtained polyhexamethylenadipamide, or more briefly Naylon 6.6, which was patented in 1937 and marketed in 1938.
The chemical product was immediately a huge success, especially in the textile sector where the production of many garments was revolutionized, especially in women's stockings.
In the production of tights, the fiber is used through the realization of a continuous thread, but more and more often this technique, today, is also applied to swimwear, sportswear, in the underwear sector, in linings, in umbrellas, furniture and many other sectors.
In the production of the yarn, to increase its resistance and elasticity, the twisting or texturing process can be used.
Compared to the natural fibers previously used, Nylon has many advantages:
• Greater resistance to wear
• It is not attacked by moths
• It is lighter
• Does not change its size during washing (does not shrink)
• Dries quickly
• Does not crease
Wallace Hume Carothers, despite the success and fame that his discoveries gave him, had a life marked by depression, so much so that he always carried a capsule of potassium cyanide with him.
A tragic event marked his life, in fact in 1937 his sister died of pneumonia, to which he was particularly attached, an episode that prompted him to use his cyanide capsule.
He then died on April 29, 1937, a few months from his sister, without leaving any message on the reason for the gesture.
Automatic translation. We apologize for any inaccuracies. Original article in Italian.
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