Stephanie Kwolek

Biography

Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, a heat-resistant synthetic fiber five times stronger than steel by weight, while working at DuPont. Her discovery was accidental — she almost discarded the unusual solution she had created. Kevlar is now used in bulletproof vests, firefighter gear, suspension bridge cables, and spacecraft components. Her invention has saved countless lives and earned her the National Medal of Technology.

斯蒂芬妮·科沃莱克在杜邦工作时发明了凯夫拉——一种按重量计算是钢铁五倍强度的耐热合成纤维。她的发现是偶然的——她差点丢弃了她创造的异常溶液。凯夫拉现在被用于防弹衣、消防员装备、悬索桥缆绳和航天器部件。她的发明挽救了无数生命，为她赢得了国家技术奖章。

Key Achievements

• Invented Kevlar, five times stronger than steel

  发明凯夫拉，强度是钢铁的五倍

• National Medal of Technology recipient

  获得国家技术奖章

• Inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame

  入选国家发明家名人堂

References & Citations

1. Wikipedia: Stephanie Kwolek — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Kwolek
2. Chemical Heritage Foundation oral history