Stephanie Kwolek

Stephanie Louise Kwolek

1923 - 2014 aged 90

Kwolek is known for inventing Kevlar, a heat-resistant synthetic fibre with a high tensile strength-to-weight ratio. She also contributed to products such as Spandex (Lycra), Nomex, and Kapton

Her discovery was a consequence of fears of a fuel shortage - she was involved in research to find a light-weight material that could replace steel in tyres and so reduce the weight of the tyre

Kwolek also gave chemistry teachers and technicians 'The Nylon Rope Trick' - a way of producing nylon in a beaker at room temperature.