With the Aramid Fiber market forecast to reach over $6 million by 2028, there’s no doubt that demand for the product is soaring.

So, what exactly is Aramid Fiber, and could it really be the answer to the ongoing problem of legacy asbestos problem?

What is Aramid Fiber?

Aramid Fibers (short for aromatic polyamide) are a class of synthetic fibers that are strong and heat resistant; man-made, high performance fibers. Aramid fiber molecules have relatively rigid polymer chains, and the molecules are linked by strong bonds that facilitate efficient transference of mechanical stress.

Positive characteristics of aramid fibers include:

High strength – in terms of mechanical properties, aramid fibers outperform glass and steel fibers of equal weight
Low flammability – aramid fibers are heat-resistant, flame-retardant and will not ignite under extreme temperatures (>500 degrees celsius)
Good resistance to cutting and abrasion
High chemical resistance – being 100% synthetic, aramid fibers are highly resistant to chemical splash and organic solvents
Non-conductive – aramid fibers do not conduct electricidad and are therefore an excellent insulator
Fabric integrity – well-maintained at elevated temperatures
Very high melting point (>500 degrees celsius)

Weaknesses include:

Sensitivity to acids and chlorine – textiles made with aramids must be laundered differently
Sensitive to ultraviolet radiation – some aramid products come in dark packaging to protect them from unnecessary exposure to ultraviolet light

The term ‘aramid’ was accepted by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in 1974 as a generic category of fibers distinct from the synthetic polymer, Nylon. In 1977, it was then adopted by the International Standards Organization.

How are aramid fibers used?

First commercialized in the 1960s by the DuPont chemical company, Aramid Fibers are widely used in ballistic composites and ballistic-rated body protection fabrics for military and aerospace applications.

The fibers offer properties that make them particularly effective for the production of armor, clothing and other applications. The material is also used in the manufacture of marítimo items such as marine hull reinforcements and cordage, and was first utilized for vehicle armor in the 1970s.

Aramid fibers are man-made and produced by a process of spinning a solid fiber from a blend of liquid chemicals.

Today, aramid fiber is used in a wide array of applications,including:

Body armor
Flame and heat protective clothing and helmets
Tires
Ropes and cables
Hot air filtration fabrics
V-belts (for machinery, automotive, and more)
Boat hull material and sail cloths
Jet engine enclosures
Reinforced thermoplastic pipes
Asphalt reinforcement
Fiber-reinforced cemento
Optical fiber cable systems
Sporting goods (hockey sticks, tennis strings, snowboards, and more)

Common brand names that use aramid fibers include Kevlar, DuPont, Twaron, and Nomex.

How is aramid used for armor?

Body armor (such as personal ballistic protective gear) is made from a combination of composite (and ceramic hard plates), flexible laminates and aramid fibers, making the material lighter, thinner, less restrictive for the wearer and more effective at the same time.

What is the difference between Kevlar and aramid?

There is no difference. The aramid fiber produced by DuPont became trademarked under the brand name Kevlar. Given that it was the first developed para-aramid to reach the commercial market, the brand name is particularly synonymous with aramid.

Is aramid fiber safe?

Given how similar some of the characteristics of aramid fiber are to asbesto, and how effectively it can be used in similar applications, there has been understandable concern regarding its safety.

During the 1990s, in vitro (test tube) experiments were conducted to test the effects of aramid fibers upon epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are the cells within epithelial tissues that line the outer surfaces of blood vessels and organs in the human body. It is within these cells that asbestos fibers are known to cause disease and cancers, such as mesothelioma, a rare, aggressive form of asbestos-related cancer.

El estudios concluded that aramid fibers exhibit ‘many of the same effects on epithelial cells as did asbestos, including increased radiolabeled nucleotide incorporation into DNA and induction of ODC (ornithine decarboxylase) enzyme activity.’ These results highlighted a worrying connection between aramid fibers and carcinogenic implications in the same manner that asbestos causes severe health issues.

However, a study conducted in 2009 demonstrated that, unlike asbestos fibers, aramid fibers are shortened and cleared from the body quickly after being inhaled; consequently posing little risk. Notably, a ‘declaration of interest’ was subsequently issued by the author stating that the review had been commissioned (and funded) by Teijin Aramid and DuPoint, although it was also confirmed that the author was solely responsible for producing the paper’s content.

The bottom line

Aramid fibers have been commercially used for decades now, and with fairly recent findings determining that they pose little risk to human health, the market is exploding. With so many similar characteristics to asbestos without the health implications, aramid seems set to replace asbestos applications in a growing number of markets.