Stephanie Louise Kwolek (1923 – 2014) was an American scientist, known for inventing Kevlar. A chemist, she has been rewarded several times for her work in polymer chemistry.
A passion for science
Daughter of Nellie Zajdel Kwolek and John Kwolek, Polish immigrants, Stephanie Louise Kwolek was born on July 31, 1923 near Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, USA). His father, a naturalist, takes him to discover nature for hours and communicates his passion to him; it is to him that, later, she will attribute her interest in science. He died when his daughter was only ten years old.
In 1946, Stephanie earned a chemistry degree from Margaret Morrison Carnegie College, Pittsburgh. She then plans to work temporarily in chemistry to get enough to pay for medical studies and become a doctor. The same year, she obtained a position as a chemist at the research branch of the DuPont company. She joins the Pioneering Research Laboratory team in Buffalo, New York. Her work interests her to the point that she finally gives up her medical ambitions. In 1950, she continued her career in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1959, she won an award from the American Chemical Society.
The invention of Kevlar
In 1964, the DuPont group worked on the development of a light and strong fiber to create lighter tires and consume less fuel. The project was proposed to Stephanie Kwolek, who then discovered poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide, a synthetic fiber five times stronger than steel. The interest and applications of this discovery were quickly understood and Kevlar was introduced in 1971, although Stephanie was not very associated with its development.
During her career, Stephanie filed between 17 and 28 patents. In 1986, she retired from research while continuing to work as a consultant; she is also part of the National Research Council and the National Academy of Sciences. In 1995, she was inscribed in the National Inventors Hall of Fame and then in the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2003.
Stephanie Kwolek died on June 18, 2014.