Nylon is a generic designation for a family of
synthetic polymers, more specifically aliphatic or semi-aromatic
polyamides. They can be melt-processed into fibers, films or shapes. The first example of nylon (nylon 66) was produced on February 28, 1935, by
Wallace Carothers at
DuPont's research facility at the
DuPont Experimental Station. Nylon polymers have found significant commercial applications in fibers (apparel, flooring and rubber reinforcement), in shapes (molded parts for cars, electrical equipment, etc.), and in films (mostly for food packaging)