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Acrylic - is commonly called acrylic glass, simply acrylic, perspex or plexiglas. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate (PMMA). The material was developed in 1928 in various laboratories and was brought to market in 1933 by Rohm and Haas Company. PMMA is often used as an alternative to glass, and in competition with polycarbonate (PC). It is often preferred because of its moderate properties, easy handling and processing, and low cost, but behaves in a brittle manner when loaded, especially under an impact force. To produce 1 kg of PMMA, about 2 kg of petroleum is needed. PMMA ignites at 460 °C and burns, forming carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide and low molecular weight compounds, including formaldehyde.
Aramid - Aramid fibers are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. The name is a shortened form of "aromatic polyamide". They are fibers in which the chain molecules are highly oriented along the fiber axis, so the strength of the chemical bond can be exploited. Aromatic polyamides were first introduced in commercial applications in the early 1960s, with a meta-aramid fiber produced by DuPont under the tradename Nomex. This fiber, which handles similarly to normal textile apparel fibers, is characterized by its excellent resistance to heat, as it neither melts nor ignites in normal levels of oxygen. It is used extensively in the production of protective apparel, air filtration, thermal and electrical insulation as well as a substitute for asbestos. Meta-aramid is also produced in the Netherlands and Japan by Teijin under the tradename Teijinconex, in China by SRO Group (China) under the trade name X-Fiper , Yantai under the tradename New Star and a variant of meta-aramid in France by Kermel under the tradename Kermel.
Based on earlier research by Monsanto Company and Bayer, a fiber - para-aramid - with much higher tenacity and elastic modulus was also developed in the 1960s-1970s by DuPont and Akzo Nobel, both profiting from their knowledge of rayon, polyester and nylon processing. DuPont was the first to introduce a para-aramid called Kevlar in 1973. A similar fiber called Twaron with roughly the same chemical structure was introduced by Akzo in 1978. Due to earlier patents on the production process, Akzo and DuPont had a patent war in the 1980s. Twaron is currently owned by the Teijin company.
Kevlar - A registered trademark of DuPont for a light, strong para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, it was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires. Typically it is spun into ropes or fabric sheets that can be used as such or as an ingredient in composite material components. Currently, Kevlar has many applications, ranging from bicycle tires and racing sails to body armor because of its high strength-to-weight ratio. Famously coined: "5 times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis". A similar fiber called Twaron with roughly the same chemical structure was introduced by Akzo in 1978, and now manufactured by Teijin.
Neoprene - or Polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene.[1] It is used in a wide variety of applications, such as in wetsuits, laptop sleeves, orthopedic braces (wrist, knee, etc.), electrical insulation, liquid and sheet applied elastomeric membranes or flashings, and car fan belts. Neoprene is the trade name used by DuPont Performance Elastomers.
Nitrile Rubber - A synthetic rubber copolymer of acrylonitrile (ACN) and butadiene. Some trade names are: Nipol, Krynac and Europrene. Although its physical and chemical properties vary depending on the polymer’s composition of nitrile (the more nitrile within the polymer, the higher the resistance to oils but the lower the flexibility of the material), this form of synthetic rubber is generally resistant to oil, fuel, and other chemicals.
Nomex IIIA - A registered trademark of DuPont and developed in the early 1960s. It is a blend of 93% meta-aramid (Nomex), 5%para-aramid (Kevlar), 2% P140 (anti-static carbon) (93-5-2). Nomex, a synthetic flame retardant (FR) fibre, is combined with Kevlar for strength and P140 for anti-static qualities. Nomex IIIA is inherently resistant to flames, dissipates static, and is resistant to many chemicals including organics, acids, and bases. The fire resistance does not wash out during laundering.
Nomex Care Label - Nomex IIIA provides outstanding built-in flame and static resistance. CAUTION: Flammable contaminants will reduce the thermal performance of any flame resistance garment. For maximum protection: Wash your new garment before wearing and after each subsequent wearing to thoroughly remove potentially flammable fabric processing aides/finishes, greases, oily and other flammable contaminants. Wearing undergarments is recommended with all flame resistance garments. Anti-static garments of Nomex IIIA should be used in conjunction with proper procedures for maximum protection against the threat of spark. Do not remove garments when in a hazardous environment. INSTRUCTION ON CARE OF GARMENT: Garments of DuPont Nomex can be cleaned by home or commercial laundry or dry cleaning procedures without loss of their outstanding inherent protective features. The following suggestions will keep your garments looking neat, attractive, and safe. For correct fit, try garment on before washing or wearing. Wash garments after each wearing to remove any flammable contaminants. If home procedures do not remove contaminants, commercial laundering or dry cleaning is recommended. Launder garments of Nomex only garments of Nomex to help avoid surface entrapment of flammable lint. Pre-treat greasy stains and collar/cuff lines. Wash garments in hot water with a heavy-duty detergent. Do not overload home laundry equipment. Do not use chlorine bleach or detergents containing chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach may cause excess fading and reduce fabric strength. However, chlorine bleach will not affect the flame resistance of nomex. Tumble dry garments at a low setting. Use the cool down cycle if available. Remove and hang garments as soon as tumbler stops. Do not hang in direct sunlight - sunlight can cause fading. When using proprietary laundry aids, be sure to read and follow carefully the manufacturer's instructions. Nomex is a registered trademark of the DuPont Company.Pyrovatex - A registered trademark of Huntsman Corporation. It a a treated fabric using cotton as based material. It incorporates Dupont Teflon as a fabric protector giving it additional benefits of oil and water repellency on top of its resistance to flame and static build-up.
Tecasafe - A registered trademark of TenCate. It is a range of inherently flame-resistant fabrics. The fabrics offer protection against heat & flame, electric arc, static electricity and liquid chemicals. Tecasafe fabric weight and composition differs according to the model a user select, for examples, model XA 9004, XA 9003, XA 9002, XA 9030, XA 9001 and XA 1. The weight may range from 180 g/m2 to 320 g/m2 and there are differences in its fabric composition and percentages. Refer to http://www.tencate.com/smartsite.dws?ch=sec&id=1224 for details.
Vinyl - Any organic compound that contains a vinyl group (also called ethenyl). It is a tough and flexible plastic; used to make a wide variety of products such as pipes, floor coverings and protective apparels.