Charles Shambelan, 88, DuPont research chemist who helped develop Kevlar

Charles Shambelan, 88, of Glen Mills, a DuPont Co. chemist who was instrumental in the development of Kevlar, a synthetic fiber used in bulletproof vests and other products, died Sunday, May 13, of heart failure at Maris Grove Retirement Community, Glen Mills.

From 1957 until 1989, when he retired, Dr. Shambelan was a chemist and then a senior research fellow at a company experimental laboratory in Wilmington.

Although Kevlar was invented by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, it fell to Dr. Shambelan and others at the research lab to make it commercially viable.

Dr. Shambelan was responsible for taking the synthetic fiber from the test-tube stage and making it in large enough quantities to test its reinforcement capabilities in various products, said his longtime friend and colleague Al Goodman.

Stronger than steel and lighter than fiberglass, Kevlar is best known for being the lifesaving liner of bulletproof vests and body armor, although it is also used in helmets, brake pads, tires, and other rubber products.

"All I know about it is what Charlie told me," Goodman said. "He was instrumental in making the arrangements and working with the U.S. government. Kevlar was the material that had to go into anti-ballistic gear to prevent gunshot wounds. It was the barrier put into the jackets that soldiers wore."

Kevlar also went into the bulletproof vests worn by police officers here and across the nation.

John Hoyt, recording secretary for Lodge 5, Fraternal Order of Police, called the Kevlar-lined vests "one of the greatest advancements in officer safety in law-enforcement history."

"Thousands of police officers' lives have been saved because of them," he said in an email. "Here in Philadelphia, you have to look no further than Sept. 16, 2016, when Philadelphia Police Sgt. Sylvia Young was working in the 18th District and was ambushed while sitting in her patrol car.

"The gunman fired 18 rounds into her patrol car; striking Sgt. Young eight times in the chest, arm and torso." Hoyt said stories like hers make Lodge 5 members "grateful" for Dr. Shambelan's contribution to the development of the protective gear.

Dr. Shambelan also worked on a second synthetic fiber, Sontara. It can be made into a nonwoven wipe that is strong and absorbent without leaving lint. Sontara has applications in the aerospace, automotive refinishing, window cleaning, pharmaceutical, and food-preparation industries.

"It was a game-changer for cleaning circuit boards, airplane windows, and other uses," said Dr. Shambelan's son-in-law, Paul Nathanson.

Dr. Shambelan and Franklin James Evan were granted a patent for Sontara in 1971. Later, the patent was sold to a Japanese company,  Goodman said.

Dr. Shambelan received recognition from DuPont for his achievements in the development of Kevlar and Sontara, Nathanson said.

Born in Philadelphia, Dr. Shambelan grew up in the city during the Great Depression and worked odd jobs to pay his way through school. He graduated from Overbrook High School. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in science from Temple University and his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.

He had a home in Wilmington before moving to Maris Grove 11 years ago.

"Charlie was a very unusual person," Goodman said of his colleague's temperament. "He loved to talk to people. He was always pleasant. He never got angry no matter what people said."

A tinkerer, Dr. Shambelan could take something that was broken and make it work. He was known at Maris Grove for his photography and watch-fixing ability.

In addition to his son-in-law, he is survived by his wife of 61 years, Kay Promish Shambelan; daughters Adele Diener and Michele Nathanson; three grandchildren; and a sister.

A memorial service will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at Maris Grove Chapel, 200 Maris Grove Way, Glen Mills, Pa. 19342. Interment is private.

Donations in his name may be made to the Maris Grove Resident Care Fund at the address above.