1. Listening to Kevlar By: Juan Gonzalez MEEN 3344

2. How are speakers being made?  Today, many speakers are being made using various types of materials.  They can be made from treated paper, synthetics, or composites.  Many companies are using Kevlar reinforced woofers to add strength and durability.  They feature long interlaced aramid reinforced carbon graphite IMPP.  This provides the strength and rigidity powerful bass requires.

3. How Kevlar makes a difference?  Kevlar is a heat resistant and strong synthetic fiber.  It has good resistance to abrasion.  It has practically no melting point, degradation starts at 500°C.

4. Difference between factory speaker and aftermarket speaker with Kevlar. Factory Speaker  Made of paper & foam  Can be easily torn  Don’t handle high amount of power  Foam surround dries and cracks in high heat Kevlar Reinforced Speaker  Made of Kevlar and other durable materials  Greater resistance to abrasion  Handles a much greater amount of power  Won’t dry and crack like factory speaker

5. Which would you rather listen to?

6. References  JWS Hearle (2000). "High-performance fibres". Woodhead Publishing Ltd., Abington, UK - The Textile Institute (ISBN: 1855735393).  Doetze J. Sikkema (2002). "Manmade fibers one hundred years: Polymers and polymer design". J Appl Polym Sci, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (83): 484-488.  www.crutchfield.com