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As the need for increased safety and security increases in the United States and throughout the world, DuPont continues to develop new technologies and additional Kevlar fiber capacity to address growing needs.
Used in ballistic applications for more than 35 years, Kevlar is a name that has become synony- mous with keeping law enforce- ment officers safe on the job. Soft body armor made with Kevlar works by catching a bullet in a multilayer web of woven fabrics. The engaged fibers absorb the energy of the impact and disperse it to other fibers in the fabric weave. It's the ability to combine this high strength with light weight that has made the organic fiber (in the aramid family) popular with law enforcement.
DuPont's latest generation of woven technology, Kevlar XP (which stands for exceptional performance), offers even more bullet-stopping power, while the relatively new Kevlar Correctional addresses the needs of officers who work in correctional institutions and demand anti- spike protection. Both technologies were designed to be lightweight, flexible enough to be concealed under a uniform, and with officer comfort in mind. And that's important, because as Mark McGonagle, global marketing manager for DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems, reminds, the only vest that never works is the one that's never worn.
Kevlar XP
Announced this summer, Kevlar XP is initially being made for body armor, but will be used in more ballistic applications and other products in the future. Kevlar XP provides exceptional performance with its ability to consistently stop bullets in just the first three out of 11 layers against the .44 Mag bullet of NIJ Level IIIA, according to tests by DuPont and an independent third-party The remaining eight layers of Kevlar XP absorb bullet energy, so the vest wearer experiences less trauma, or backface deformation.
"Backface deformation can have a significant impact on how quickly a police officer can react to the threat he faces," McGonagle says. "If an officer is able to get back up again more quickly, he's more able to defend himself from further attack. Not to mention, less trauma is less painful."
Kevlar XP typically provides a 15 percent or more reduction in backface deformation. At the same time, it is up to 10 percent lighter than other...