Abstract: Disclosed is the use of a laminate of a textile material covered with a copolyetherester film having a water vapor transmission rate of at least 1000 g/m.sup.2 /day for the manufacture therefrom of waterproof rainwear, shoes, tents, and mattress covers, and for the complete covering therewith of molded articles of foam rubber for use in chairs or mattresses, the copolyetherester being composed of a plurality of recurrent intralinear long-chain ester units and short-chain ester units which are randomly joined head-to-tail through ester bonds, with at least 20 wt. % of the long-chain ester units being prepared from a long-chain glycol having a carbon to oxygen ratio in the range of 2.0 to 2.4, which glycol constitutes 15-45 wt. % of the copolyetherester, and with at least 70 wt. % of the short-chain ester units consisting of butylene naphthalate units constituting 20-80 wt. % of the copolyetherester.

Abstract: A pad for cleaning up liquid spills is described which contains a porous surface covering, and an absorbent interior containing chemically reactive reagents for neutralizing noxious chemicals within the spilled liquid. The porous surface and the absorbent component would normally consist of chemically resistant materials allowing tentative spill to pass. The absorbent interior which contains the neutralizing reagents can but is not required to be chemically resilient and conducts the liquid chemical spill towards the absorbent interior containing the chemically reactive reagents where the dangerous and undesirable chemicals within the chemical spill are then neutralized as well as removed from the premises.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) product having a label that includes information pertaining to the type of material of the product for recycling purposes. The label is covered on its back surface side with a transparent surface mat. The product is formed by coating a surface of a mold with a gel coating to become an outer surface through a mold release agent, laying a glass mat of unsaturated polyester resin-impregnated reinforced fiber on the gel coating, further laying a glass mat of the same material and applying pressure of a roller or a brush on the gel coating, laying a label with printed material for indicating the material at an arbitrary position on one of the glass mats, laying, for example, a transparent surface mat of unsaturated polyester resin-impregnated glass fiber by pressure of a presser such as a roller or a brush or the like on the label, and consolidating each of the components to form the final product.

Abstract: The present invention provides an article, comprising: a fabric sheet which has been compacted using a heat shrink yarn; and a curable or hardenable resin coated onto the fabric sheet. The present invention involves compacting a fabric sheet to impart stretchability and conformability to the fabric while minimizing undesirable recovery forces. Suitable fabrics for compacting are fabrics which comprise fiberglass fibers which are capable of first being compacted and then being set or annealed in the distorted, state. The article may be in the form of an orthopedic bandage and may optionally contain a microfiber filler associated with the resin.

Abstract: The pyrolytic carbon lamellar interphase is formed on the reinforcing fibers inside a chamber in which a plurality of successive cycles is performed, each cycle comprising: injecting a reaction gas in which the pyrolytic carbon precursor is selected from alkanes, excluding methane taken as a sole component, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatic hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof; the gas is maintained inside the chamber for a first predetermined time period to form an interphase layer of controlled thickness of nanometer size; the gaseous reaction products are then evacuated during a second time period; the cycles being performed consecutively in the chamber until the thickness desired for the interphase has been obtained, thereby achieving a lamellar interphase that is highly anisotropic, whose lattice fringe texture has distorted fringes of total length (L.sub.2) not less than 4 nanometers on average with maximum values exceeding 10 nanometers.

Abstract: A ballistic laminate structure in sheet form, which includes a first array of high performance, unidirectionally-oriented fiber bundles and a second array of high performance, unidirectionally-oriented fiber bundles cross-plied at an angle with respect to the first array of fiber bundles, and laminated to the first array of fiber bundles in the absence of adhesives or bonding agents. First and second thermoplastic films are bonded to outer surfaces of the laminated first and second arrays of unidirectional fiber bundles without penetration of the films into fiber bundles or through the laminate from one side to the other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional fabric of the type which may be used in absorbent garments, dressings or the like involves the use of an apertured collector element which has a predetermined three-dimensional shape. The method involves positioning material adjacent to one side of the apertured collector element and developing a pressure differential between the one side of the apertured collector element and a second, opposite side to force the fabric material against the apertured collector element. The material, which has conformed to the shape of the collector element, is then solidified into its intended three-dimensional shape.

Abstract: An improved graphite composite shaft which can be used in fishing rod or golf clubs includes a base shaft made at least partially of graphite composite material provided in one or more layers or plies. Each shaft has a relatively slender tip that is normally prone to impact damage. An outer concentric reinforcement layer made of a composite material having thermoplastic fibers, such as Vectran, Spectra, or the like, is provided on the base shaft. The reinforcement layer extends only part of the way up the length of the base shaft from the tip thereof. The reinforcement layer makes the shaft more resistant to impacts occurring at the tip, thus increasing the durability of the shaft without decreasing the performance of the fishing rods or golf clubs that incorporate the shaft.

Abstract: An endless flexible seamed belt with a mechanically invisible seam and substantially equivalent in performance to a seamless belt is formed by joining two ends of material from which the belt is fabricated each end of which has a plurality of mutually mating elements in a puzzle cut pattern which are in interlocking relationship in at least one plane and which when joined mechanically enable the flexible belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: A dyed union knit fabric comprised of at least a polyurethane elastic fiber containing a chlorine-induced degradation inhibitor in a proportion of 0.5-4.5 weight % relative to the weight of the fiber, and a polyamide fiber and/or a cation dyeable polyester fiber, which has been dyed with mixed dyes of acid dyes, dispersion dyes, metal-complex dyes, reactive dyes and direct dyes, and markedly improved in resistance to chlorine-induced change in shade by allowing to contain at least one compound having a reaction amount of chlorine of 50 milliequivalent per gram or more, specifically one member of mono- and/or polyhydroxybenzene derivatives in a proportion of 0.1-20% relative to the weight of the fiber; and a method for manufacturing same. According to the present invention, excellent resistance to chlorine-induced change in shade as well as chlorine-induced degradation can be afforded to the dyed union knit fabric.

Abstract: Dimensionally stable laminates of epoxy resin reinforced with glass fibers have a coefficient of thermal expansion which matches that of copper, making possible copper foil covered laminates which provide improved registration in multilayer printed circuit boards. New glass fabric styles provide balanced thermal expansion in both the warp and fill directions.

Abstract: A paper toweling which provides a combination of strength, bulk and absorbency while presenting an attractive appearance. Included are a single ply paper towel having areas of light and heavy embossing perforations which form diamond shaped islands of heavy embossing perforations surrounded by intersecting bands of light bosses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a breathable and impermeable insert intended for use in the clothing industry. In a preferred embodiment, the insert comprises a microporous polymer foam layer embedded in a textile substrate. The foam layer is mechanically reinforced by a textile substrate, and, due to the flexibility of the foam, the textile retains most of its feel and flexibility. The foam is water vapor permeable, but liquid water impermeable. Methods for easily producing breathable textile inserts are disclosed.

Abstract: A cut-resistant tarpaulin has a waterproof coating bonded to a cut-resistant woven fabric. The fabric has a leno or gauze weave. The fabric has warp yarns and weft yarns of braided fibers. The fibers have an initial modulus greater than 400 grams per denier.

Abstract: The invention provides an ornamental film comprising a laminate structure consisting of two biaxially oriented films and a thermally fusible polyolefin layer interposed between the films, characterized in that the biaxially oriented film has a decorative layer either on a face side or on a reverse side, that the thermally fusible polyolefin layer has a thickness corresponding to 25.about.70% of the total thickness of the laminate structure, and that the bond strength between the biaxially oriented film and thermally fusible polyolefin layer has been controlled at 20.about.170 g/15 mm. This ornamental film is advantageous in that when formed with slits or cutouts and expanded three-dimensionally, it is protected against tear propagation, that it lends itself well to vapor deposition, that it can be incinerated for disposal, and that it is comparatively inexpensive.

Abstract: A three-dimensional fiber reinforced composite structure which is made by providing yarn having of a plurality of continuous reinforcing fibers and fibers which when melted form a matrix material, randomizing the yarn, forming the randomized yarn into a preform, and consolidating the preform in one direction. Each of the plurality of reinforcing fibers extends continuously and randomly throughout the matrix because of the randomizing. The fiber reinforced composite structure is particularly suitable for manufacturing a vertebral prosthetic spinal implant device.

Abstract: A preform for impregnation of a metal or ceramic matrix material comprising a multiplicity of reinforcement particles bonded together so as to define a three-dimensional, open-cell reticulum comprising a plurality of randomly oriented thread-like portions interconnected one to the next via a plurality of nodes. A reinforced composite made from such preform and method of making the preform is disclosed/claimed wherein the reinforcement particles are mixed with prepolymers used to produce a fugitive binder for the particles comprising a foamed polymer, and the particles align themselves with the polymer portions of the resulting foam.

Abstract: A preferred composite which is useful at temperatures in excess of about 0.degree. C. comprising a ceramic matrix and 40-60% on volume basis of coated and uncoated fibers embedded in the matrix generally parallel to each other and in a controlled arrangement; the matrix is selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon nitride, silicon carbide and zirconium titanate; the fibers are silicon carbides fibers 5-20 microns thick; the coating on the coated fibers is boron nitride 0.1-0.3 microns thick; cross-section of the composite contains about one half, on volume basis, of uncoated fibers in one band extending from one side edge of the cross-section to the opposite side edge; the composite having unexpectedly improved strength and/or toughness compared to a composite composed of only coated or only uncoated fibers.