Read the following passage and answer the questions: The line between pure chemistry and applied chemistry is not always distinct.
For example, in the early 1960s, chemists at DuPont were searching for a new lightweight and strong fiber that could be used in tires. Chemist Stephanie Kwolek discovered, somewhat by accident, that a certain solution she had made displayed unique characteristics that were unlike those of other previously developed substances. The rapid expansion in the field of polymer chemistry that has occurred over the past 50 years was partially due to the results of her research. Polymers are very, very large molecules comprised of smaller subunits that are repeated over and over again in extremely long chains. The polymer that was discovered at DuPont was eventually given the name Kevlar. It is used not only in tires but also in bulletproof body armor because of its high strength and light weight. Polymer chemistry continues to be an active and vibrant field of chemistry, as both a pure and an applied discipline.

a. Was the initial research that Stephanie Kwolek carried out an example of pure or applied chemistry?

b. When did the project become an example of applied chemistry?