Steel vs. Synthetic Fibers: A New Era of Strength
Steel is one of the most common and durable metals. When people say “even steel couldn’t withstand something,” it’s hard to imagine what could possibly hold up!
But steel now has competition. At first glance those rivals may seem modest, but consider this: the best spring steel can endure no more than 20 double bends, while synthetic fibers such as perlon can withstand an astonishing 40,000. If you take a steel wire with a cross-section of 1 square millimeter and apply a load of 100 kilograms, the wire will snap. In contrast, a cord made of synthetic acetate silk can support a load of 126 kilograms.
Moreover, a steel wire of any cross-section will break under its own weight if unwound from a height of 20 kilometers. In comparison, a synthetic enanthate thread will only snap after reaching a length of 70 kilometers.
