Science Kevlar is often used in the field of
cryogenics for its low
thermal conductivity and high strength relative to other materials for
suspension purposes. It is most often used to suspend a
paramagnetic salt enclosure from a
superconducting magnet mandrel in order to minimize any heat leaks to the paramagnetic material. It is also used as a thermal standoff or structural support where low heat leaks are desired. A thin Kevlar window has been used by the
NA48 experiment at
CERN to separate a vacuum vessel from a vessel at nearly atmospheric pressure, both in diameter. The window has provided vacuum tightness combined with reasonably small amount of material (only 0.3% to 0.4% of
radiation length).
Protection Kevlar is a well-known component of
personal armor such as
combat helmets,
ballistic face masks, and
ballistic vests. The
PASGT helmet and vest that were used by
United States military forces relied on Kevlar as a key component in their construction. Other military uses include bulletproof face masks and
spall liners used to protect the crews of
armoured fighting vehicles.
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers use Kevlar reinforcement in vital areas. Civilian applications include high heat resistance uniforms worn by firefighters and body armour worn by police officers, security, and police tactical teams such as
SWAT. Kevlar is used in gloves, sleeves, jackets,
chaps and other articles of clothing designed to protect users from cuts, abrasions, and heat. Kevlar-based protective gear is often considerably lighter and thinner than equivalent gear made of more traditional materials.
hemp. It is one of the main materials used for
paraglider suspension lines. It is used as an inner lining for some
bicycle tires to prevent punctures. In
table tennis, plies of Kevlar are added to custom ply blades, or paddles, in order to increase bounce and reduce weight.
Tennis racquets are sometimes strung with Kevlar. It is used in sails for high performance racing boats. In 2013, with advancements in technology,
Nike used Kevlar in shoes for the first time. It launched the Elite II Series, with enhancements to its earlier version of
basketball shoes by using Kevlar in the
anterior as well as the
shoe laces. This was done to decrease the elasticity of the tip of the shoe in contrast to the nylon conventionally used, as Kevlar expanded by about 1% against nylon which expanded by about 30%. Shoes in this range included LeBron, HyperDunk and Zoom Kobe VII. However these shoes were launched at a price range much higher than average cost of basketball shoes. It was also used in the laces for the
Adidas F50 adiZero Prime football boot. Several companies, including
Continental AG, manufacture cycle tires with Kevlar to protect against punctures. Folding-bead bicycle tires, introduced to cycling by
The Michelin Elan tire in 1975, along with Mavic "Module E" hook-beaded rims, used Kevlar as a bead in place of steel for weight reduction and strength. A side effect of the folding bead is a reduction in shelf and floor space needed to display cycle tires in a retail environment, as they are folded and placed in small boxes.
Music Kevlar has also been found to have useful acoustic properties for
loudspeaker cones, specifically for bass and mid range drive units. Additionally, Kevlar has been used as a
strength member in fiber optic cables such as the ones used for audio data transmissions. Kevlar can be used as an acoustic core on bows for
string instruments. Kevlar's physical properties provide strength, flexibility, and stability for the bow's user. To date, the only manufacturer of this type of bow is
CodaBow. Kevlar is also presently used as a material for tailcords (tailpiece adjusters), which connect the
tailpiece to the
endpin of bowed string instruments. Kevlar is sometimes used as a material on marching snare drums. It allows for an extremely high amount of tension, resulting in a cleaner sound. There is usually a resin poured onto the Kevlar to make the head airtight, and a nylon top layer to provide a flat striking surface. This is one of the primary types of marching snare drum heads.
Remo's Falam Slam patch is made with Kevlar and is used to reinforce bass drum heads where the beater strikes. Kevlar is used in the
woodwind reeds of Fibracell. The material of these reeds is a composite of aerospace materials designed to duplicate the way nature constructs cane reed. Very stiff but sound absorbing Kevlar fibers are suspended in a lightweight resin formulation.
Motor vehicles Kevlar is sometimes used in structural components of cars, especially high-value performance cars such as the
Ferrari F40. The chopped fiber has been used as a replacement for asbestos in
brake pads. Aramids such as Kevlar release less airborne fibres than
asbestos brakes and do not have the carcinogenic properties associated with asbestos.
Other uses Wicks for
fire dancing props are made of composite materials with Kevlar in them. Kevlar by itself does not absorb fuel very well, so it is blended with other materials such as
fiberglass or
cotton. Kevlar's high heat resistance allows the wicks to be reused many times. Kevlar is sometimes used as a substitute for
Teflon in some non-stick frying pans. Kevlar fiber is used in rope and in cable, where the fibers are kept parallel within a
polyethylene sleeve. The cables have been used in
suspension bridges such as the bridge at
Aberfeldy, Scotland. They have also been used to stabilize cracking concrete cooling towers by circumferential application followed by tensioning to close the cracks. Kevlar is widely used as a protective outer sheath for
optical fiber cable, as its strength protects the cable from damage and kinking. When used in this application it is commonly known by the trademarked name Parafil. Kevlar was used by scientists at
Georgia Institute of Technology as a base textile for an experiment in electricity-producing clothing. This was done by weaving
zinc oxide nanowires into the fabric. If successful, the new fabric will generate about 80 milliwatts per square meter. A retractable roof of over of Kevlar was a key part of the design of the
Olympic Stadium, Montreal for the
1976 Summer Olympics. It was spectacularly unsuccessful, as it was completed 10 years late and replaced just 10 years later in May 1998 after a series of problems. Kevlar can be found as a reinforcing layer in
rubber bellows expansion joints and rubber
hoses, for use in high temperature applications, and for its high strength. It is also found as a braid layer used on the outside of hose assemblies, to add protection against sharp objects. Some
cellphones (including the
Motorola RAZR Family, the
Motorola Droid Maxx,
OnePlus 2 and
Pocophone F1) have a Kevlar backplate, chosen over other materials such as carbon fiber due to its resilience and lack of interference with signal transmission. The Kevlar fiber/epoxy matrix composite materials can be used in marine current turbines (MCT) or wind turbines due to their high specific strength and light weight compared to other fibers. ==Composite materials==