Nomex

NOMEX is the registered brand name of a flame retardant material marketed and first discovered by DuPont in the 1970s. It can be considered an aromatic “nylon”. It is sold in both fiber and sheet forms and is used as a fabric wherever resistance from heat and flame is required. Nomex type 410 paper is the original and one of the larger grade types made, mostly for electrical insulation purposes. The paper is used in electrical laminates such as circuit boards and transformer cores as well as fireproof honeycomb structures where it is saturated with a phenolic resin. Honeycomb structures such as these, as well as mylar-nomex laminates are used extensively in aircraft construction. Both the firefighting and vehicle racing industries use NOMEX to create clothing and equipment that can stand up to intense heat. Both aramids are heat and flame resistant but Kevlar, having a para- orientation can be molecularly aligned and gives high strength. Meta aramid polymer cannot align during filament formation and has poor strength.
Race car drivers commonly use a hood to protect them in the event of fire.Military pilots and aircrew wear one-piece flight suits made of over 92% NOMEX, to protect them from the possibility of fires and other mishaps. The remaining 8% is usually Kevlar thread used to hold the fabric together at the seams.