Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid fuel, a system and a method for generating hydrogen. The solid fuel comprises sodium borohydride, catalyst loaded fibers and a binder, wherein the catalyst loaded fibers and the binder form a scaffold structure within which the sodium borohydride is positioned. The system comprises a fuel cartridge containing the solid fuel of the present invention for generating hydrogen gas, a reactor configured to house the fuel cartridge, a tank for storing water, a pump and a liquid conduit for conveying water from the tank to the fuel cartridge housed within the reactor to induce a hydrolysis reaction of the solid fuel contained in the fuel cartridge and a controller for regulating flow of the water.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to carpet and methods of making and recycling carpet. In one aspect, the carpet includes: a primary backing which has a face and a back surface; a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing and extending from the face of the primary backing and exposed at the back surface of the primary backing; an adhesive composition backing; and an optional secondary backing adjacent to the adhesive backing. The method of making carpet includes extrusion coating the adhesive composition onto the back surface of a primary backing to form the adhesive composition backing. The method of recycling carpet can recover one or more polymeric carpet components.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to carpet and methods of making and recycling carpet. In one aspect, the carpet includes: a primary backing which has a face and a back surface; a plurality of fibers attached to the primary backing and extending from the face of the primary backing and exposed at the back surface of the primary backing; an adhesive composition backing; and an optional secondary backing adjacent to the adhesive backing. The method of making carpet includes extrusion coating the adhesive composition onto the back surface of a primary backing to form the adhesive composition backing. The method of recycling carpet can recover one or more polymeric carpet components.

Abstract: A novel lofted fiber or pile-type of fabric such as fleece, and an improved method of weaving the same. The improved lofted fiber or pile-type of fabric includes an underlying fabric substrate, a plurality of lofted fibers coupled into one portion of the underlying fabric substrate, and a different portion of the underlying fabric substrate adjacent to the portion having the plurality of lofted fibers that is substantially devoid of all lofted fibers.

Abstract: A woven exercise rug having contours on the exercise surface for the purpose of reducing the chance of a user slipping during exercise is disclosed. The woven characteristic of the exercise rug provides for some moisture absorption and the contours provide additional gripping for the user of the rug to help reduce the chance of slipping due to moisture accumulation on the rug, due, for example, to perspiration. The contours of the rug may be provided by supplementary wefts or warps in the weave of the rug which are not required for the structural stability of the rug.

Abstract: A method for making a fabric having a ground and pile threads inserted between the ground threads is provided. The method comprises a step of weaving two fabrics simultaneously so that the fabrics are positioned parallel and spaced by a predetermined distance, and the pile threads are inserted alternately between the ground threads of one fabric and between those of the other fabric. Also, each pile thread is wound around one of the ground threads by one or more turns. The method further comprises cutting the pile threads between the fabrics, and heat setting the fabrics to bind the pile threads to the ground firmly. The pile threads are made of acrylic yarn, and the weight percentage of the pile threads in the fabric is between 80 and ninety-five 95, and the weight percentage of the ground threads in the fabric is the remainder.

Abstract: Secondary carpet backings woven in a flat weave construction from warp tapes and multifilament picks with to about 100% theoretical coverage in the warp but less than full effective coverage and average pick counts of 12 to 20 per inch, such that the fabrics have weights of about 1.5 to about 7 osy and air permeability, provide dimensional stability and peel strength in carpets and facilitate robust cure rates in carpet manufacture.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acarcid-resistant carpet wherein an acaracidal compound is fixed at or near the base of the carpet tufts over which an adhesive layer is applied to the carpet tufts into a primary backing material. The invention further relates to methods of making such carpet.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a loop pile fabric with a varied appearance includes a woven backing fabric. Loop weft yarns (12A), (12B) are provided outside the backing fabric, and loop warp yarns (1), (2), (3) are so provided that they are alternately inwoven in the backing fabric and form a pile loop (13), (14) over at least one loop weft yarn (12A), (12B), and the loop weft yarns (12A), (12B) are subsequently removed. By providing first (12A) and second loop weft yarns (12B) with a different thickness, pile loops (13), (14) of different height are formed. To obtain a fabric in which both pile loops (13) and cut pile (15) occur subsequently a top part can be removed from a number of pile loops (13). In areas (19) where no pile loops are formed effect backing weft yarns (11B) with laterally protruding filaments can be inwoven in the backing fabric. A loop pile fabric can be manufactured according to this method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to composite elastomeric yarns and fabrics, to methods of making same, and to articles in which such yarns and fabrics are used. The composite yarns of the present invention comprise a elastomeric core, an elastomeric thermoplastic sheath disposed about the core and, preferably, fibers mechanically anchored in the sheath. The composite fabrics of the present invention comprise the composite yarns of the present invention and conventional fibers arranged to form a fabric.

Abstract: A synthetic yarn made from a blend of base fibers selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon 6 and nylon 66, and 1-12 weight percent of a heat activated binder fiber having a melting point within the range of 165.degree.-190.degree. C., said binder fiber being made from a copolyamide which is derived from a mixture of 50 to 85 wt. % caprolactam, 0 to 40 wt. % hexamethylenediamine adipate or a combination of hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid, and optionally a salt selected from the group consisting of hexamethylenediamine dodecanedioate, hexamethylenediamine azeleate, hexamethylenediamine sebacate and hexamethylenediamine terephthalate; and a chain terminator selected from at least one of the group consisting of a fatty acid and a fatty amines, wherein said fatty acid or fatty amine include at least 14 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a textile material for composite constructions, comprising a textile fabric having tied-in naps. To form a textile material which confers good mechanical properties on the composite and at the same time makes possible a durable attachment it is provided, that the tied-in naps being secured to the textile fabric incline from the textile fabric with at least two different lengths and pile directions, and being singly and alternately distributed on a front surface of the textile fabric in a substantially uniform manner.

Abstract: Secondary backing for a tufted carpet comprising a fabric with an open construction having an air permeability preferably of at least about 350 cfm of a synthetic yarn and a conductive spun yarn wherein said spun yarn comprises a conductive core fiber having a denier in the range of about 15 to about 25 and a maximum resistance of about 1 .times. 10.sup.10 ohms/centimeter around which core fiber is spun a nonconductive support fiber having a denier in the range of about 3 to 18. The conductive spun yarn can be in the warp and/or weft direction of said backing at an apparent weight density of conductive fiber as low as 0.6 grams/square meter and still dissipate a static charge to a value in kilovolts below about 4.5.