Abstract: This invention relates to a method for hiding stains in medical dressings and other textile substrates. The method includes applying a metallic silver coating to a textile substrate via a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVP) process. The metallic silver coating effectively hides any stain that comes into direct contact with the treated substrate by transferring the liquid beneath the surface of the coating. The invention also relates to textile substrates containing metallic silver coatings.

Abstract: This invention relates to tufted floorcovering articles, including carpet tiles and broadloom carpet. In particular, this invention relates to tufted floorcovering articles made from the family of polymers known as polyester. Specifically, this invention relates to tufted carpet tile products made from polyester. The polyester carpet tiles meet commercial performance specifications and are fully end-of-life recyclable.

Abstract: The process of forming a blowable flexible innerduct contains the steps of forming an inner innerduct structure comprising at least one inner longitudinal chamber, where the at least one inner longitudinal chamber comprises an inflatable tube and forming a textile. Concurrently forming an outer innerduct structure from the textile having at least one outer longitudinal chamber and inserting at least one inner longitudinal chamber into at least one of the outer longitudinal chambers. The inflatable tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.5 mm. The inner longitudinal chamber alone has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm, outer longitudinal textile chamber alone has an air permeability of greater than about 100 cfm, and the outer and inner longitudinal textile chambers together have an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polyethylene polymer composition and a salt of bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid. The polyethylene polymer composition can have a Melt Relaxation Product of 50,000 or less. A method for producing an injection molded article comprises the steps of (a) providing a thermoplastic polymer composition as described above, (b) melting the thermoplastic polymer composition, (c) injecting the molten thermoplastic polymer composition into a mold cavity, (d) cooling the molten thermoplastic polymer composition, and (e) ejecting the injection molded article from the mold cavity. A method for producing a film comprises the steps of (a) providing a thermoplastic polymer composition as described above, (b) melting the thermoplastic polymer composition, (c) extruding the molten thermoplastic polymer composition through a slot-shaped die orifice to form a film, (d) cooling the film, and (e) collecting the film.

Abstract: This invention relates to a horticulture additive comprising: (1) a wetting agent, wherein the wetting agent is a multi-branched polymer comprising at least one of an oxygen-containing and a nitrogen-containing polyfunctional base compound having at least three branches attached thereto, and (2) a humectant. The horticulture additive is advantageous for increasing plant survival of plants treated therewith when exposed to reduced watering conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to tufted floorcovering articles, including carpet tiles and broadloom carpet. In particular, this invention relates to tufted floorcovering articles made from the family of polymers known as polyester. Specifically, this invention relates to tufted carpet tile products made from polyester. The polyester carpet tiles meet commercial performance specifications and are fully end-of-life recyclable.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a polyethylene polymer composition and a salt of bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid. The polyethylene polymer composition can have a Melt Relaxation Ratio of 1.5 or greater. A method for molding a thermoplastic polymer composition comprises the steps of (a) providing an apparatus comprising a die and a mold cavity; (b) providing the thermoplastic polymer composition described above; (c) heating the thermoplastic polymer composition to melt the thermoplastic polymer composition; (d) extruding the molten thermoplastic polymer composition through the die to form a parison; (e) capturing the parison in the mold cavity; (f) blowing a pressurized fluid into the parison to inflate the parison and conform it to the interior surface of the mold cavity; (g) allowing the molded article to cool so that the molded article retains its shape; and (h) removing the molded article from the mold cavity.

Abstract: A wearable container containing a composite which has an alternating pattern containing groupings of woven fabric and groupings of biaxially oriented thermoplastic films. The composite has a thickness of less than about 5 mm. Each grouping of woven fabric contains at least one woven fabric layer, each woven fabric layer containing tape elements having a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer disposed between covering layers of a heat fusible olefin polymer. Each grouping of biaxially oriented thermoplastic films contain at least one biaxially oriented thermoplastic film which has a core layer of thermoplastic disposed between covering layers of a thermoplastic able to bond to polypropylene.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a thermoplastic polymer, at least one clarifying agent, and at least one coloring agent. A method for producing a thermoplastic polymer composition comprises the steps of separately providing a thermoplastic polymer and an additive composition and then mixing the thermoplastic polymer and additive composition. The additive composition comprises a clarifying agent and a coloring agent. Another method for producing a thermoplastic polymer composition comprises the steps of separately providing a thermoplastic polymer, at least one clarifying agent, and at least one coloring agent and then mixing the thermoplastic polymer, the clarifying agent, and the coloring agent. The thermoplastic polymer exhibits a blue hue factor (?) of 0.93 to 1.1 and/or a normalized brightness value (Y?) of 64.0 to 69.6. An additive composition contains at least one clarifying agent and at least one coloring agent.

Abstract: An additive composition comprises an impact modifier, an acetal compound, and a co-additive compound. An additive composition comprises a plurality of first particles and second particles. The first particles comprise an impact modifier. The second particles comprise a thermoplastic polymer, an acetal compound, and a co-additive. A polymer composition comprises a thermoplastic polymer, an impact modifier, an acetal compound, and a co-additive.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprises a polypropylene polymer and a salt of a branched alkyl phosphonic acid.

Abstract: An innerduct for a cable containing one or more strip-shaped lengths of woven textile fabric configured to create a flexible, longitudinal compartment for enveloping a cable. The woven fabric comprises a plurality warp yarns and a plurality of picks of weft yarns, the weft yarns contain a repeating first weft pattern of at least one monofilament yarn and optionally at least one single-inserted multifilament yarn. The woven fabric contains an alternating pattern containing first weave zones and partial float weave zones. The warp yarns in the first weave zone pass successively over and under each adjacent weft yarn and at least a portion of the warp yarns in the partial float zone float over some adjacent weft yarns.

Abstract: This invention relates to installation methods for a multi-component floor mat. The floor mat typically contains a textile component and a base component. Alignment and deployment of the textile component with the base component in an efficient manner is described herein.

Abstract: This invention relates to installation methods for a multi-component floor mat. The floor mat typically contains a textile component and a base component. Alignment and deployment of the textile component with the base component in an efficient manner is described herein.

Abstract: A composition comprises one or more trimesic acid derivatives of Formula (I) in which R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups. A polymer composition comprises a composition as described above and a polyolefin polymer. The polymer compositions containing a trimesic acid derivative of Formula (I) exhibit very low haze levels and minimal extraction of the trimesic acid derivative.

Abstract: An elastic flame-resistant yarn containing an intimate fiber blend of staple fibers wrapped around a plurality of elastic continuous fibers. The intimate fiber blend of staple fibers contains non-flame-resistant (FR) cellulosic fibers, modacrylic fibers, and aramid fibers. The non-FR cellulosic fibers constitute at least about 31% by weight to at most about 54% by weight of the intimate fiber blend of staple fibers, the modacrylic fibers constitute at least about 30% by weight to at most about 49% by weight of the intimate fiber blend of staple fibers, and the aramid fibers make up at least about 3% by weight to at most about 20% by weight of the intimate fiber blend of staple fibers. The elastic continuous fibers make up at least about 0.01% by weight to at most about 5% by weight of the elastic flame-resistant yarn.

Abstract: An additive composition comprises an antioxidant and one or more calcium cis-1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate salts. 25 mol. % or more of the calcium cis-1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate salts present in the additive composition are calcium cis-1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate monohydrate. A method for producing a thermoplastic polymer composition entails mixing the additive composition with a thermoplastic polymer, melting the resulting admixture, and letting the admixture solidify to produce a polymer composition.

Abstract: Systems and methods generating textiles with repeating design elements based at least in part on Voronoi diagrams are provided. In one example implementation, the method can include generating a plurality of seed points in a graphic area. The seed points are utilized to create a Voronoi diagram. A Voronoi diagram is thereafter propagated within the graphic area based upon the seed points. The method also includes receiving a first user input defining a design area. The design area includes a plurality of boundaries within the graphic area. The design area is then correlated to a textile segment and a textile design is generated by replicating the cells in the design area. The cells that intersect the boundaries of the design area are replicated with identical instances placed at the adjacent sides of the design area and the corners of the design area.

Abstract: A 3-phenyl-3H-1-benzofuran-2-one compound is substituted with one or more acyloxy groups comprising 26 or more carbon atoms. A compound comprises two or more 3-phenyl-3H-1-benzofuran-2-one moieties and a second moiety selected from the group consisting of divalent and polyvalent C4-C60 hydrocarbon moieties. Each 3-phenyl-3H-1-benzofuran-2-one moiety is covalently bound to an open valence of the second moiety through a linking group selected from the group consisting of a carboxy group and oxyalkylene ester moieties. A composition comprises the 3-phenyl-3H-1-benzofuran-2-one compound described above or the compound described above comprising two or more 3-phenyl-3H-1-benzofuran-2-one moieties.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for adhering floor tiles together and the flooring system thereby created. The method utilizes individual adhesive units as fasteners for attachment of each floor tile to the next contiguous floor tile. The adhesive units are a multi-layered composite comprised of at least one adhesive layer and at least one layer of polymer film or textile substrate. When a series of floor tiles are attached to one another in this manner, a floating floorcovering article is achieved.