A medium for water culture has a porous substance and photocatalyst particles formed of titanium-based compound particles that are supported on the porous substance, have absorption at a wavelength of 500 nm in a visible absorption spectrum, and have an absorption peak at 2,700 cm1 to 3,000 cm1 in an infrared absorption spectrum, in which a metal compound having a metal atom and a hydrocarbon group is bonded to the surface of each of the titanium-based compound particles through an oxygen atom.

Devices for radiative cooling and optical waveguiding are provided, wherein the devices comprise a fabric including one or more fibers extending for a length in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of void structures positioned within each of the one or more fibers and extended over the length of each of the one or more fibers. Each of the plurality of void structures is configured to scatter at least a portion of an electromagnetic radiation received thereon to thereby radiatively cool the object.

A fabric substrate is prepared from woven coated yarns. Each coated yarn has a yarn core and a coating disposed coaxially on the yarn core. This coating contains: (i) porous particles in an amount of 4-20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase, a mode particle size of 2-50 m; (ii) a film-forming binder material having a T.sub.g of less than or equal to 25 C., in an amount of 40-90 weight %; and (iii) an inorganic filler material having a value of less than 5 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness, which inorganic filler material is present in an amount of 4-30 weight %.

A liquid-crystal polyether fiber with high tensile strength has an ash content of 0.3 percent by weight or less, a degree of fusion (f) of 3 or less, and a tensile strength of 18 cN/dtex or more. The liquid-crystal polyether fiber has few residues of an anti-fusion agent and causes no fusion between filaments.

A composition for application to a base material, rendering the base material able to shield alternating electromagnetic fields in the range from low frequencies up to radio frequencies, includes an aqueous solution of a hydratable salt; a modifier selected from the group consisting of acrylic dispersions, styrene-acrylic dispersions, silicone emulsions and combinations thereof; and an enhancing additive selected from the group consisting of surface active agents, aluminosilicates, silicates, soluble calcium compounds, insoluble calcium compounds, metal oxides, metalloid oxides and combinations thereof. The alternating field is shielded at least in the range from 10.sup.2 Hz to 10.sup.6 Hz. The composition may be used to coat/impregnate fibrous and/or porous matrices.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to multi-material fibers capable of distributedly measuring temperature and pressure in which the methods comprise a thermal drawing step, and the methods of fabricating the disclosed fibers. The fibers can be utilized in methods of temperature and pressure mapping or sensing comprising electrical reflectometry for interrogation. Further disclosed are devices comprising a disclosed fiber with the multi-point detection capability with simple one-end connection. Also disclosed are articles, e.g., smart clothing, wound dressing, robotic skin and other industrial products, comprising a disclosed fiber or a fabric comprising a disclosed fiber. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to multi-material fibers capable of distributedly measuring temperature and pressure in which the methods comprise a thermal drawing step, and the methods of fabricating the disclosed fibers. The fibers can be utilized in methods of temperature and pressure mapping or sensing comprising electrical reflectometry for interrogation. Further disclosed are devices comprising a disclosed fiber with the multi-point detection capability with simple one-end connection. Also disclosed are articles, e.g., smart clothing, wound dressing, robotic skin and other industrial products, comprising a disclosed fiber or a fabric comprising a disclosed fiber. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Provided are nanowire-coated fibers and compositions comprising one or more nanowire-coated fibers and methods of making the fibers and compositions. The fibers can be organic or inorganic fibers. The nanowires can be metallic or semiconducting nanowires. The nanowires are disposed on at least a portion of a surface of a fiber or fibers. The fibers and compositions can be used as barcodes (e.g., for anti-counterfeiting methods). The fibers and compositions also can be used as photodetectors (e.g., methods of detecting electromagnetic radiation).

Provided are nanowire-coated fibers and compositions comprising one or more nanowire-coated fibers and methods of making the fibers and compositions. The fibers can be organic or inorganic fibers. The nanowires can be metallic or semiconducting nanowires. The nanowires are disposed on at least a portion of a surface of a fiber or fibers. The fibers and compositions can be used as barcodes (e.g., for anti-counterfeiting methods). The fibers and compositions also can be used as photodetectors (e.g., methods of detecting electromagnetic radiation).

The invention relates to a polymeric fibre derived from a copolymer of polyacrylonitrile and a comonomer. The fibre comprises a metal ion and/or silicon at from about 1 to about 15 wt %. A process for making the fibre is also described.