The Chemistry of the Artificial Fly

• The Hook is made up of various types of steel, there are two main types of steel used in a fishing hook , stainless steel and high carbon steel. The carbon content of steel is between 0.002% and 2.1% for plain iron-carbon alloys. These values vary depending on alloying elements such as manganese, chromium, nickel, iron, tungsten, carbon and so on.
• The thread can be made up of cotton or nylon. Nylon is synthetic, high-strength,and contains resilient synthetic polymers, the molecules of which contain the recurring amide group CONH. Chemical elements in nylon are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. There are many different types of nylon like Nylon 6 and NYLON 12 (C12H23NO)n

Chemistry's Role

Most modern steel plants use what's called a basic oxygen furnace to create steel. In these furnaces oxygen blows through the molten iron, lowering carbon, silicon, manganese and phosphorous levels. A variety of metals might be alloyed with the steel to create different properties. For example, the addition of 10 to 30 percent chromium creates stainless steel. The chemical composition of carbon steel are as follows: Carbon which can be present up to 2%, Manganese 0.3%, Silicon, Sulfur, Phosphorous, Chromium, Molybdenum, Nickel, Vanadium, and Columbium.

For Nylon there are many different types available and a majority are generally tough materials with good thermal and chemical resistance. Nylon is a generic designation for a family of polyamides and can be melted processed into fibres. A polyamide is a macromolecule with repeating units linked by bonds and they can occur naturally or artificially. A chemical formula for one type of Nylon is (C12H23NO)n. Nylon consists of Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Oxygen.

Background Research

• Some elements in steel are not desired two of these in high carbon steel are sulfur and phosphorous they are impurities.
• The first example of nylon (nylon 66) was produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers At DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station.

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_hook#Anatomy_and_construction

-fishing hooks types of fly hooks: sproat, sneck, limerick, viking ...

-materials used : contemporary hooks-high carbon steel, steel alloyed with vanadium or stainless steel / corrosion resistant surface coating/ coatings are applied for color- some hooks are coated with gold, nickel, tin, teflon, and different colors

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techniques/bait-fishing/fishing-hook-construction

-two main types of metal wire used: stainless steel and high-carbon steel in hooks

-stainless steel-not as strong as carbon steel but much more corrosive resistant/nickel

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fiveflies/?image=0

-types of flies materials used

http://www.hookhack.com/html/threads.html

-thread used in tying flies

-thread is made up of nylon, polyester, kevlar

-materials used in tying flies

http://www.tcoflyfishing.com/TCO_Fly_Fishing_L4_SubCategory.cfm?cat=Fly%20Tying&subcat=Fly%20Tying%20Materials&type=Chenille

-types of body materials

http://www.bearsden.com/page103.html

-type of thread wires tinsel

http://www.keytometals.com/page.aspx?ID=CheckArticle&site=kts&NM=368

-high carbon steel

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Stainless-Steel.html

-stainless steel

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/metalsandalloys/a/aa071201a.htm

-Chromium added to stainless steel

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4898729_how-nylon-thread-made.html

-Nylon

http://carbon-steel.health-tips-diseases.com/

-As the carbon percentage content rises, steel has the ability to become harder and stronger through heat treating; however, it becomes less ductile. Regardless of the heat treatment, a higher carbon content reduces weldability. In carbon steels, the higher carbon content lowers the melting point

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_stee

-Carbon steel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon

-nylon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_steel#Higher-carbon_steels

http://science.howstuffworks.com/iron4.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Stainless-Steel.html

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