DuPont received a United States patent for a synthetic polymer later known as nylon. This patent reflected the research leadership of Wallace Hume Carothers, a chemist who directed fundamental polymer investigations at DuPont’s Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware. The patent formalized a new class of materials called polyamides and marked a decisive step in the transformation of polymer science from academic inquiry into large-scale industrial application.
Wallace H. Carothers joined DuPont in 1928 after a career in academic chemistry. At the time, the company made a strategic commitment to basic research. DuPont established a program to study the chemistry of large molecules, or macromolecules, which were still poorly understood. Carothers focused on condensation polymerization, a process in which small molecules combine with the elimination of simple byproducts such as water. His work built on emerging theoretical insights from European chemists, including Hermann Staudinger, who argued that polymers consisted of long chains of repeating units rather than colloidal aggregates.
Carothers and his team investigated reactions between diamines and dicarboxylic acids. These reactions produced long-chain polyamides with strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The resulting fibers showed high tensile strength, elasticity, and resistance to abrasion. By 1935, the team produced a fiber-forming polymer from hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid. This material could be melted and drawn into filaments that retained their strength after cooling. The ability to spin fibers from a molten state distinguished nylon from earlier semi-synthetic materials such as rayon, which required chemical regeneration from cellulose.
The 1937 patent covered the preparation of linear condensation polymers and their conversion into fibers. It described the molecular structure, synthesis, and processing conditions necessary to achieve stable, high-performance materials. The patent provided legal protection for DuPont’s investment and allowed the company to control the commercial development of nylon. This intellectual property framework supported a rapid transition from laboratory discovery to industrial production.
DuPont announced nylon to the public in 1938 and introduced the first commercial products in 1939. The company initially used nylon to produce toothbrush bristles. In 1940, DuPont released nylon stockings, which quickly gained consumer attention due to their strength and smooth texture. The introduction of nylon hosiery demonstrated the material’s potential to replace silk, a natural fiber that required imports. Nylon stockings sold in large quantities upon their release, indicating strong market demand for synthetic alternatives.
The entry of the United States into World War II shifted nylon production from consumer goods to military applications. The federal government classified nylon as a strategic material. Manufacturers used nylon in parachutes, ropes, tire cords, and other equipment that required high strength and durability. Before nylon, parachutes relied on silk imported largely from Asia. Nylon provided a domestic substitute that supported military supply chains. The expansion of nylon production during the war established large-scale manufacturing capacity for synthetic fibers in the United States.
The development of nylon also influenced the broader field of materials science. Carothers’ work demonstrated that systematic control of molecular structure could produce materials with predictable properties. This approach encouraged further research into synthetic polymers, including polyesters, polyurethanes, and other plastics. The concept of designing materials at the molecular level became a central principle in industrial chemistry. Nylon served as a model for linking theoretical chemistry with engineering processes.
Carothers’ contributions to polymer chemistry received recognition within the scientific community. His research clarified the relationship between molecular weight and material properties. He showed that high molecular weight polymers were necessary for fiber formation and mechanical strength. These findings helped establish polymer chemistry as a distinct scientific discipline. Although Carothers died in 1937 before nylon reached commercial success, his work laid the foundation for the synthetic fiber industry.
The 1937 nylon patent holds lasting historical significance because it marked the emergence of fully synthetic fibers as viable industrial products. It reduced reliance on natural raw materials and enabled the expansion of domestic manufacturing. It also demonstrated the value of corporate investment in basic scientific research. DuPont’s decision to support long-term investigation without immediate commercial goals produced a material that reshaped textiles, wartime logistics, and consumer goods.
Nylon remains in widespread use in textiles, engineering plastics, and industrial applications. Its development reflects a shift in twentieth-century industry toward science-driven innovation. The patent of 1937 stands as a key moment in this transition, linking laboratory discovery, intellectual property, and mass production in a single technological breakthrough.
References / More Knowledge:
DuPont. “The Nylon Story.” https://www.dupont.com/about/history/nylon.html
Hagley Museum and Library. “On This Day: February 16, 1937, DuPont Was Granted a Patent for Nylon.” https://www.hagley.org/librarynews/day-february-16-1937-dupont-was-granted-patent-nylon
American Chemical Society. “Wallace Hume Carothers and the Development of Nylon.” https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/carothers.html
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History. “Nylon: A Revolution in Textiles.” https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_842175
National Academy of Sciences. “Biographical Memoir of Wallace Hume Carothers.” https://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/carothers-wallace.pdf