Abstract: The present invention relates a method of making a coated cellulosic textile, whereby a silk peptide is polymerized with a building block to develop a silk peptide/building block nanoparticle, said nanoparticle then being used to coat the textile. The resultant textile exhibits a high level of wrinkle recovery angle and/or tear strength, all without the use of N-methylol compounds, including ureas and formaldehydes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for controllably producing silk particles including the steps of designing a particle size, setting parameters to create the particle size except one unknown parameter, calculating the unknown parameter using algorithm, dissolving a silk peptide in a solvent, adding a cleavage agent, and hydrolyzing the peptide to produce the particle in the desired size.

Abstract: A technique allowing manufacturers to produce woven moisture management fabrics with good moisture transfer properties is based upon a model of the fabric construction, thereby avoiding a manufacturing trial-and-error process. An initial woven fabric design including hydrophilic and hydrophobic yarns are modeled, the warp and weft yarns generally lying in a plane of the fabric. By orthographic projection onto respective planes substantially parallel to the plane of the fabric, a first view and an opposing second view of a unit cell of the model is produced. If the total projected area of hydrophobic yarn on one of the first and second views is between 40% and 70% of the total projected area, and total projected area of hydrophilic yarn on the other of the first and second views exceeds 50% of the total projected area, then a fabric according to the fabric design will have near optimum moisture wicking properties and is manufactured to the design.

Abstract: An integrated processing technique for preparing moisture management textiles or fabrics wherein fibers are treated with compositions which impart a hydrophobic or hydrophilic property such that when incorporated into the fabrication of composite structured textiles or fabrics a hydrophobic inner surface and a hydrophilic outer surface are formed. The integrated processing technique for preparing moisture management textiles also includes finishing the textiles or fabrics to enhance the fabric's liquid water one way transfer properties. The advantage of this invention is the possibility to manufacture the pure cotton woven/knit fabrics with the good moisture management properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method of making a coated cellulosic textile, whereby a silk peptide is polymerized with a building block to develop a silk peptide/building block nanoparticle, said nanoparticle then being used to coat the textile. The resultant textile exhibits a high level of wrinkle recovery angle and/or tear strength, all without the use of N-methylol compounds, including ureas and formaldehydes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for controllably producing silk particles including the steps of designing a particle size, setting parameters to create the particle size except one unknown parameter, calculating the unknown parameter using algorithm, dissolving a silk peptide in a solvent, adding a cleavage agent, and hydrolyzing the peptide to produce the particle in the desired size.

Abstract: A technique allowing manufacturers to produce woven moisture management fabrics with good moisture transfer properties is based upon a model of the fabric construction, thereby avoiding a manufacturing trial-and-error process. An initial woven fabric design including hydrophilic and hydrophobic yarns is modelled, the warp and weft yarns generally lying in a plane of the fabric. By orthographic projection onto respective planes substantially parallel to the plane of the fabric, a first view and an opposing second d view of a unit cell of the model is produced. If the total projected area of hydrophobic yarn on one of the first and second views is between 40% and 70% of the total projected area, and total projected area of hydrophilic yarn on the other of the first and second views exceeds 50% of the total projected area, then a fabric according to the fabric design will have near optimum moisture wicking properties and is manufactured to the design.

Abstract: A solution for treating fabrics or fibres consists of between 0.1 and 10 percent natural fibre material suspended in distilled water. The solution is used to wet fabrics or fibres for a period of between 1 and 60 minutes. After wetting the fabrics or fibres are dried at a temperature of between 80 and 160 degrees Celsius for between 1 and 10 minutes.

Abstract: A woven fabric consists of a generally uniformly woven structure of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials and has inner and outer exposed surfaces of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials. The inner exposed surface is between 40% and 70% hydrophobic material, and the outer exposed surface is predominantly hydrophilic material.

Abstract: A single fabric testing apparatus is capable of measuring mechanical and thermal characteristics of a specimen previously carried out in separate testing apparatuses. The single apparatus is provided with a plurality of mechanical and temperature sensors and a heatable top plate. In use, a ram moves the top plate vertically downwards to press a fabric specimen against a bottom plate. The plate is surrounded by a fixed upstanding peripheral skirt against which an outer periphery of the specimen is bent to enable shearing and bending characteristics to be measured. The bottom plate is biased upwards by a spring which is compressed until the top plate is arrested by a fixed frame member. Further downward movement of the ram enables compressibility of the specimen to be determined. A rotatable section of the top plate can be turned by a stepping motor to determine the surface friction characteristics of the specimen.

Abstract: A single fabric testing apparatus is capable of measuring mechanical and thermal characteristic of a specimen previously carried out in separate testing apparatus. The single apparatus is provided with a plurality of mechanical and temperature sensors and a heatable top plate 10. In use, a ram 9 moves the top plate 10 vertical downwards to press a fabric specimen against a bottom plate 14. The plate 14 is surrounded by a fixed upstanding peripheral skirt 15 against which an outer periphery of the specimen is bent to enable shearing and bending characteristics to be measured. The bottom plate 14 is biassed upwards by a spring 16 which is compressed until the top plate is arrested by a fixed frame member 18. Further downward movement of the ram enables compressibility of the specimen to be determined. A rotatable section 11 of the top plate 10 can be turned by a stepping motor 13 to determine the surface friction characteristics of the specimen.