The present invention relates to a non-woven fabric, a method for producing a non-woven fabric, a wipe or tissue and uses thereof as well as a disinfecting method, in particular against bacteria and viruses, such as coronaviruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The non-woven fabric comprises pulp fibers and/or cellulosic fibers, a binder, a cationic polymer, and a disinfecting agent.

Disclosed herein are nonwoven fibrous web comprising a population of fibers, wherein the fibers are formed from a composite that comprises: (i) a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer (TPE) component; (ii) a soft elastomeric polymer component that at ambient temperatures is above its glass transition temperature; and (iii) optionally a filler. Also described are methods of making these nonwoven fibrous webs as well as articles made therefrom.

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

Textile balloon catheters, textile sleeves useful in balloon catheters, and methods of making balloon catheters are described. An example catheter includes an elongate shaft and a balloon movable between uninflated and inflated configurations, and a textile sleeve secured to the balloon. The textile sleeve has a plurality of warp threads and at least one weft thread extending circumferentially around the balloon. Circumferential loops in the portion of the textile sleeve that is secured to the body of the balloon are larger in diameter than circumferential loops in the portion of the textile sleeve that is secured to one or more of the proximal neck, distal neck, proximal cone and distal cone portions of the balloon.

Disclosed herein are methods for producing core-sheath structures by shaping at least one filament bundle containing a plurality of filaments to form at least one shaped strand of filaments, and braiding a plurality of strands, including the at least one shaped strand of filaments, over a core to form the core-sheath structure containing a braided sheath of the strands surrounding the core, wherein the shaped strand of filaments is an untwisted strand having a twist level of less than 1 turn per meter, a cross-sectional aspect ratio of the shaped strand of filaments is at least 3:1, as measured in the braided sheath, a thickness of at least a portion of the braided sheath ranges from about 10 to about 200 μm, and the braided sheath comprises a synthetic fiber having a tensile strength of greater than 12 cN/dtex. Also disclosed herein are core-sheath structures formed by such methods.

Methods for producing cellulose articles having controlled release of active ingredient include dispersing pulp in aqueous direct solvent for cellulose to form a slurry. Organically modified or ion-exchange-activated phyllosilicate is homogenized in a direct solvent for cellulose with exfoliation by shearing, then mixed with the slurried pulp. A mixture of active ingredient and a lipophilic matrix material or a water-in-oil (“W/O”) emulsion containing active ingredient is stabilized with thickener, converted into a gel-like paste, and mixed with the slurried pulp. Water is stripped from the mixture until all cellulose is dissolved, the mixture is formed into shaped articles, and dried. Exemplary active ingredients include cosmetic active ingredients, fat-soluble vitamins or apolar plant extracts. Domains of active ingredient and matrix material or emulsion containing active ingredient are present as fine divisions within the inventive articles. Exemplary shaped articles include functional fibers in knitted, woven and nonwoven fabrics; paper; foils and membranes.

A suture anchor for fixation within an anatomical structure includes an actuation member in contact with an anchor body at a first location thereof. The anchor body is elongate along a direction of elongation and defines a central axis. In a neutral configuration, the anchor body is flat and defines a thickness along a transverse direction and a width along a lateral direction, the width being greater than the thickness. The anchor body has first and second tails that are braided together along a portion of the actuation member from the first location to a second location of the anchor body. The actuation member is configured to apply a force to the braided anchor body so as to actuate the anchor body in a manner increasing its maximum thickness along a second direction that is angularly offset from the direction of elongation.

A mask system and an air delivery conduit for use in the treatment of respiratory disorders. The air delivery conduit may comprise a textile having an airtight arrangement. A support structure may be provided to the conduit to provide form.

In one aspect, a knitted loop for a mask or garment is formed by a process including providing a yarn, knitting the yarn to form an individual loop, cutting the individual loop to form two ends, and attaching at least one end of the two ends to a garment. In another aspect, a knitted loop for a mask or garment is formed by a process including providing a yarn, knitting the yarn to form a fabric tube, cutting the fabric tube into at least one individual loop, and attaching the at least one individual loop to a garment.

Nonwoven fabrics are provided that include a first meltblown layer, in which the first meltblown layer comprises a first polymeric material including (i) a first polymer component and (ii) optionally one or more first additives. The first polymer component comprises a first recycled-polypropylene (rPP).