Nomex
Categories: Synthetic materials | Firefighting
NOMEX® is the brand name of a flame retardant meta-aramid material marketed and first discovered by DuPont in the 1970s. It is sold in both fiber and sheet forms and is used as a fabric wherever resistance from heat and flame is required. Both the firefighting and vehicle racing industries use Nomex to create clothing and equipment that can stand up to intense heat.
A Nomex hood is a common piece of firefighting equipment. It is placed on the head on top of a firefighters face mask which supplies air to him/her inside a smoke filled environment. The hood protects the portions of the head not covered by the helmet and face mask from the intense heat of the fire. Race car drivers commonly use a similar hood to protect them in the event that a fire engulfs their car. Nomex has been adapted to a wide variety of uses now, including machinery and circuitry for its insulation. A recent application of the unique properties of Nomex is the oven rack guard, invented by Burt Shulman of Wappingers Falls, NY, in 2003.
The DuPont scientist responsible for discoveries leading to the creation of Nomex, Dr. Wilfred Sweeny, earned a Lavoisier medal [1] partly for this work in 2002.