Abstract: Articles comprising garments with at least one opening layers are included. The articles may include an elastic polymer composition such as a film, a melt or an aqueous dispersion.

Abstract: Included are multiple component elastic fibers prepared by a solution-spinning process such as dry spinning or wet spinner of spandex fibers including polyurethaneurea and polyurethane compositions. These fibers have a cross-section including at least two separate regions with definable boundaries wherein at least one region defined by the boundaries of the cross-section includes a polyurethaneurea or polyurethane composition. One region of the fiber includes a fusibility improvement additive to enhance adhesion to itself or to a substrate.

Abstract: Included are multiple component elastic fibers prepared by a solution-spinning process such as dry spinning or wet spinner of spandex fibers including polyurethaneurea and polyurethane compositions. These fibers have a cross-section including at least two separate regions with definable boundaries wherein at least one region defined by the boundaries of the cross-section includes a polyurethaneurea or polyurethane composition. One region of the fiber includes a fusibility improvement additive to enhance adhesion to itself or to a substrate.

Abstract: Articles comprising garments with at least one opening layers are included. The articles may include an elastic polymer composition such as a film, a melt or an aqueous dispersion.

Abstract: A binder system for applying microcapsules to textile materials includes microcapsules in a binder composition. The binder composition includes: (i) a component selected from the group consisting of: an alkoxylated fatty acid amide, alkyl sulfonate salt, an amino-silicone softener, and mixtures thereof; an (ii) a component selected from the group consisted of: a global type wrinkle resistant resin, an imidazole type wrinkle resistant resin, a cationic polyamide, a curable silicone resin, a polyurethane resin, and mixtures thereof. Methods for making the binder system as well as methods for applying the binder system to textile materials are also provided.

Abstract: A hetero-composite yarn useful in making garments comprises a combined biconstituent yarn and a companion yarn, wherein the biconstituent yarn comprises an axial core comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer, and a plurality of wings attached to the core and comprising a thermoplastic, non-elastomeric polymer.

Abstract: A hetero-composite yarn useful in making garments comprises a combined biconstituent yarn and a companion yarn, wherein the biconstituent yarn comprises an axial core comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer, and a plurality of wings attached to the core and comprising a thermoplastic, non-elastomeric polymer.

Abstract: A stretchable synthetic polymer fiber comprising an axial core formed from an elastomeric polymer, and two or more wings attached to the core and formed from a non-elastomeric polymer, wherein preferably at least one of the wings is mechanically locked with the axial core. The fibers can be used to form garments, such as hosiery. A spinneret pack for producing such fibers is also provided.

Abstract: A stretchable synthetic polymer fiber comprises an axial core formed from an elastomeric polymer, and two or more wings formed from a non-elastomeric polymer attached to the core. The fiber has a substantially radially symmetric cross-section. Such fibers can be used to form garments, such as hosiery.

Abstract: A stretchable synthetic polymer fiber comprising an axial core formed from an elastomeric polymer, and two or more wings attached to the core and formed from a non-elastomeric polymer, wherein preferably at least one of the wings is mechanically locked with the axial core. The fibers can be used to form garments, such as hosiery. A spinneret pack for producing such fibers is also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to a wet-laid sheet material prepared from thermoplastic fibers, graphite particles, reinforcing fibers, and microglass fibers. The sheet material is useful in making compression molded composite plaques, said plaques being thermally and electrically conductive.

Abstract: A process for the production of structural and semi-structural composites formed by compressing planar layers of nonwoven preform materials formed from aqueous blends of reinforcing fibers and thin thermoplastic fluoropolymer flake. The flakes have an irregular periphery with microfibrils extending therefrom, having a Canadian Standard Freeness greater than 800. The planar layers which are unconstrained in the in-plane direction are preconsolidated by heating the layer to above the melting point of the fluoropolymer, the applying pressure normal to the plane of the layer causing the fluoropolymer to flow thus orienting the fibers in the plane of the layer. The composites are useful in applications which require higher strength and/or modulus, and where chemical and/or heat resistance is needed, as in chemical processing.

Abstract: A process for the production of structural and semi-structural composites formed by compressing planar layers of nonwoven preform materials formed from aqueous blends of reinforcing fibers and thin thermoplastic fluoropolymer flake. The flakes have an irregular periphery with microfibrils extending therefrom, having a Canadian Standard Freeness of from 800 to 883. The planar layers which are unconstrained in the in-plane direction are preconsolidated by heating the layer to above the melting point of the fluoropolymer, the applying pressure normal to the plane of the layer causing the fluoropolymer to flow thus orienting the fibers in the plane of the layer. The composites are useful in applications which require higher strength and/or modulus, and where chemical and/or heat resistance is needed, as in chemical processing.

Abstract: A method for determining the quality of dispersion of glass fibers in a thermoplastic resin preform layer compares the mean characteristic length of the glass fiber bundles in the preform layer to a predetermined value indicative of dispersion of the glass fibers. The thermoplastic resin preform layer characterized by this method comprises a plurality of individual glass fibers and some degree of undispersed glass fiber bundles intimately mixed with a plurality of discrete thermoplastic fibers. The glass fibers are introduced to the mixture having a length of about 1 cm. to about 8 cm. After mixing, some of the glass fiber bundles break up, and some residual glass fiber bundles remain. A preform layer which has acceptable dispersion has residual glass fiber bundles having a mean apparent length of less about 1.365 mm.

Abstract: A process for forming a self-supporting preform layer of a homogeneous blend of relatively long glass staple length fibers and wettable fine denier staple length thermoplastic filaments wherein a neutral pH aqueous slurry of the glass fibers and filaments are formed into a mat using conventional papermaking equipment. In the preferred process the wettable thermoplastic filaments are dispersed first in the water then followed by the addition of the glass fibers. The self-supporting preform when converted into a molded composite structure results in a substantially void-free structure of individual glass fibers embedded in a thermoplastic resin matrix.

Abstract: A method of preparing porous fiber reinforced polymer composite sheets has been developed to allow a more efficient preheating of the sheel prior to molding and includes the steps of blending reinforcing fibers with resin matrix forming fibers to form a web. This web is then heated to a temperature wherein the resin matrix forming fibers melt and envelope the reinforcing fibers, tacking them together at crossover points. The resultant web can then be directly heated very efficiently for molding. This web is highly porous allowing rapid heating at moderate pressure differentials during subsequent preheat steps. The microstructure created when the resin matrix forming fibers are initially melted further enhances heating capability because the structure retains porosity during the subsequent heating step required for molding.

Abstract: A nonwoven planar preform sheet for a polymer composite consisting of 20% to 80% by weight reinforcing fibers and 20% to 80% by weight matrix resin, the reinforcing fibers being from 1/8 to 6 inches in length from 1 to 50 micrometers in diameter, and being arrayed in the composite as chips of from 2 to 5000 parallel filaments, each substantially uniformly coated with matrix resin, all of the filaments of each chip ending in a single plane orthogonal to the filament direction, where the thickness of the chips is from 1 to 50 filament diameters and the length to thickness ratio is greater than 100. The chips may be either randomly oriented or oriented in the same direction in the plane of the sheet.

Abstract: A method of preparing porous fiber reinforced polymer composite sheets has been developed to allow a more efficient preheating of the sheet prior to molding and includes the steps of blending reinforcing fibers with resin matrix forming fibers to form a web. This web is then heated to a temperature wherein the resin matrix forming fibers melt and envelope the reinforcing fibers, taking them together at crossover points. The resultant web can then be directly heated very efficiently for molding. This web is highly porous allowing rapid heating at moderate pressure differentials during subsequent preheat steps. The microstructure created when the resin matrix forming fibers are initially melted further enhances heating capability because the structure retains porosity during the subsequent heating step required for molding.

Abstract: A composite nonwoven sheet is provided having a polyolefin synthetic pulp layer, optionally containing woodpulp and adhesive binder, is adhered by adhesive binder to a continuous filament scrim. The pulp surface of the composite has unexpectedly high abrasion resistance.