High-melting antimicrobial polymer fibers and antimicrobial fabrics comprising such fibers are prepared by preparing a masterbatch of polymer pellets (e.g., PET), silver and copper salts, and a compounding agent which provides free flowing polymer pellets which can be prepared in advance, with a long shelf life. Polymer masterbatches prepared by the methods of the invention can produce limited color or off-white antimicrobial fibers and fabrics using conventional melt spinning manufacturing methods. Fabrics incorporating fibers of the present invention are potent inhibitors of Athlete's foot fungi, gram negative and gram positive bacteria, and drug resistant pathogens.

High-melting antimicrobial polymer fibers and antimicrobial fabrics comprising such fibers are prepared by preparing a masterbatch of polymer pellets (e.g., PET), silver and copper salts, and a compounding agent which provides free flowing polymer pellets which can be prepared in advance, with a long shelf life. Polymer masterbatches prepared by the methods of the invention can produce limited color or off-white antimicrobial fibers and fabrics using conventional melt spinning manufacturing methods. Fabrics incorporating fibers of the present invention are potent inhibitors of Athlete's foot fungi, gram negative and gram positive bacteria, and drug resistant pathogens.

A kind of hydrophobic flame-retardant fiber and a preparation method thereof are provided by the present invention. The fiber has a skin-core structure, wherein, the volume ratio of skin to core is in a range of 2:8-6:4; weight percentages of compositions of skin layer material include: 79.9%-88.8% of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), 8%-13% of PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), 3%-6% of flame-retardant agent, 0.1%-0.5% of compatibilizer, 0.1%-0.6% of coupling agent; weight percentages of compositions of core layer material include: 91%-95% of PET, 5%-9% of flame-retardant agent.

A kind of hydrophobic flame-retardant fiber and a preparation method thereof are provided by the present invention. The fiber has a skin-core structure, wherein, the volume ratio of skin to core is in a range of 2:8-6:4; weight percentages of compositions of skin layer material include: 79.9%-88.8% of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), 8%-13% of PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), 3%-6% of flame-retardant agent, 0.1%-0.5% of compatibilizer, 0.1%-0.6% of coupling agent; weight percentages of compositions of core layer material include: 91%-95% of PET, 5%-9% of flame-retardant agent.

Disclosed are fibers which contain identification fibers. The identification fibers can contain a plurality of distinct features, or taggants, which vary among the fibers and/or along the length of the identification fibers, tow band, or yarn. The disclosed embodiments also relate to the method for making the fibers. Characterization of the fibers can include identifying distinct features, combinations of distinct features, and number of fibers with various combinations of distinct features and correlating the distinct features to supply chain information. The supply chain information can be used to track the fibers, fiber band, or yarn from manufacturing through intermediaries, conversion to final product, and/or the consumer.

Disclosed are fibers which contain identification fibers. The identification fibers can contain a plurality of distinct features, or taggants, which vary among the fibers and/or along the length of the identification fibers, tow band, or yarn. The disclosed embodiments also relate to the method for making the fibers. Characterization of the fibers can include identifying distinct features, combinations of distinct features, and number of fibers with various combinations of distinct features and correlating the distinct features to supply chain information. The supply chain information can be used to track the fibers, fiber band, or yarn from manufacturing through intermediaries, conversion to final product, and/or the consumer.

Disclosed are fibers which contains identification fibers. The identification fibers can contain a plurality of distinct features, or taggants, which vary among the fibers and/or along the length of the identification fibers of the fibers, a fiber band, or. The disclosed embodiments also relate to the method for making and characterizing the fibers. Characterization of the fibers can include identifying distinct features, combinations of distinct features, and number of fibers with various combinations of distinct features to supply chain information. The supply chain information can be used to track the fibers, fiber band, or yarn from manufacturing through intermediaries, conversion to final product, and/or the consumer.

Systems and methods are provided for fabrication of short-fiber composites. One embodiment is a method for forming a short-fiber composite. The method includes forming a bed of randomly oriented dry fibers on a base, drawing resin into the bed in response to pressure to form a mixture of randomly oriented fibers impregnated with thermoset resin, perturbing the mixture while preserving fiber length at the mixture and degassing the mixture, and extruding the mixture to form a preform.

A method for manufacturing at least one of fibers and yarn from natural fibers includes providing at least one of technical fibers, elementary fibers, meso fibrils, and micro fibrils. Greater than or equal to 80% of the at least one of the technical fibers, the elementary fibers, the meso fibrils, and the micro fibrils are short natural fibers having a length that is less than or equal to 12.7 mm. The method includes creating at least one of a dispersion, a gel, a solution, a paste, and a dough including the at least one of the technical fibers, the elementary fibers, the meso fibrils and the micro fibrils; and spinning filaments of the at least one of fibers and yarn using the at least one of the dispersion, the gel, the solution, the paste, and the dough.

A method for manufacturing at least one of fibers and yarn from natural fibers includes providing at least one of technical fibers, elementary fibers, meso fibrils, and micro fibrils. Greater than or equal to 80% of the at least one of the technical fibers, the elementary fibers, the meso fibrils, and the micro fibrils are short natural fibers having a length that is less than or equal to 12.7 mm. The method includes creating at least one of a dispersion, a gel, a solution, a paste, and a dough including the at least one of the technical fibers, the elementary fibers, the meso fibrils and the micro fibrils; and spinning filaments of the at least one of fibers and yarn using the at least one of the dispersion, the gel, the solution, the paste, and the dough.