Polybenzimidazole Fabric

Nov 29, 2022

By Vibe Fabriclore

What is Polybenzimidazole Fabric?

Polybenzimidazole fabric is a synthetic fabric that has a very high decomposition temperature.
It does not have a melting point, has remarkable thermal and chemical stability, and does not easily catch fire.
Additionally, it does not quickly ignite. Carl Shipp Marvel, an American polymer chemist, was the one who made the first discovery of it.
He was looking for novel materials that could maintain their stiffness and toughness even when heated to high temperatures.
Due to its high level of stability, polybenzimidazole is used to make high-performance protective clothing.

In 1949, Brinker and Robinson were the first researchers to describe aliphatic polybenzimidazoles.
Nevertheless, the discovery of aromatic polybenzimidazole in the 1950s, which has outstanding physical and chemical characteristics, is often ascribed to Carl Shipp Marvel.
Marvel was contacted by the Material Laboratory located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. They were seeking materials that could withstand short-term mechanical stress and would be acceptable for use in drogue parachutes.
However, the heat resistance of any and all filaments that were known at the time was insufficient.
While the first study relied on aromatic condensation polymers, Marvel's research focused on condensation polymers with aromatic and heteroaromatic repeating units.
The amide linkage was found to be a weak link in the quest for maximum thermal stability of the polymer.
This eventually led to the identification of polybenzimidazole as a useful compound.