What is aramid?

The term “aramid” is short for “aromatic polyamide”. Aramid fibers are man-made high-performance fibers. Their molecules are characterized by relatively rigid polymer chains, linked by strong hydrogen bonds that transfer mechanical stress. This permits the use of chains of relatively low molecular weight.

Aromatic polyamides were first applied commercially as meta-aramid fibers in the early 1960s, and para-aramid fibers were subsequently developed in the 1960s and 1970s.