A composition comprising: (i) an electrically non-conductive fiber having a surface; and (ii) piezoelectric particles adhered to the surface of said electrically non-conductive fiber, and optionally, (iii) a sizing agent (e.g., epoxy) coated over the piezoelectric particles and surface of the electrically non-conductive fiber. Also described are composites in which the above fiber composition is embedded within a matrix, e.g., a polymer, ceramic, or glassy carbon matrix. Also described is a method for producing a passive sensing fiber composition by: coating a fiber having a surface with a liquid suspension containing piezoelectric particles suspended in a solvent; and removing the solvent to result in the piezoelectric particles adhered to the surface of the fiber. Also described are methods for detecting formation of defects in a material and methods of generating electrical energy from ambient vibration by use of the above described fiber compositions and composites thereof.

A composition comprising: (i) an electrically non-conductive fiber having a surface; and (ii) piezoelectric particles adhered to the surface of said electrically non-conductive fiber, and optionally, (iii) a sizing agent (e.g., epoxy) coated over the piezoelectric particles and surface of the electrically non-conductive fiber. Also described are composites in which the above fiber composition is embedded within a matrix, e.g., a polymer, ceramic, or glassy carbon matrix. Also described is a method for producing a passive sensing fiber composition by: coating a fiber having a surface with a liquid suspension containing piezoelectric particles suspended in a solvent; and removing the solvent to result in the piezoelectric particles adhered to the surface of the fiber. Also described are methods for detecting formation of defects in a material and methods of generating electrical energy from ambient vibration by use of the above described fiber compositions and composites thereof.

Methods of treating fibers comprising a polymer including at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, and resulting fibers or the products comprising the resulting fibers are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a fiber having a surface region and an interior region, includes a polymer comprising at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety chemically modified with a modification agent. The fiber has a transverse cross-section including the interior region comprising the polymer having a first degree of modification and the surface region comprising the polymer having a second degree of modification greater than the first degree of modification.

Methods of treating fibers comprising a polymer including at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, and resulting fibers or the products comprising the resulting fibers are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a method of treating fibers includes contacting a surface of a fiber comprising the polymer with a modification agent to chemically modify at least a portion of the polymer with the modification agent in a region of the fiber comprising at least the surface of the fiber to form a modified fiber.

Methods of treating fibers comprising a polymer including at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, and resulting fibers or the products comprising the resulting fibers are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a method of treating fibers includes contacting a surface of a fiber comprising the polymer with a modification agent to chemically modify at least a portion of the polymer with the modification agent in a region of the fiber comprising at least the surface of the fiber to form a modified fiber.

A production apparatus and production method for colored spun yarn with fiber dyeing and mixing in a spinning process is provided. The production apparatus is a ring spinning machine. The ring spinning machine includes a front table board and a rear table board with a same structure. Each of the front table board and the rear table board is formed by a plurality of spindles with a same structure. Each spindle includes a drafting system. A roving feeding bell mouth is connected at the rear of the drafting system, and a splitting plate is arranged at the front of the drafting system. A dyeing system is arranged at the front of the splitting plate. A color fixing system is added at the front of the dyeing system. A bunching bell mouth device and a delivery roller pair are arranged at the front of the color fixing system.

A production apparatus and production method for colored spun yarn with fiber dyeing and mixing in a spinning process is provided. The production apparatus is a ring spinning machine. The ring spinning machine includes a front table board and a rear table board with a same structure. Each of the front table board and the rear table board is formed by a plurality of spindles with a same structure. Each spindle includes a drafting system. A roving feeding bell mouth is connected at the rear of the drafting system, and a splitting plate is arranged at the front of the drafting system. A dyeing system is arranged at the front of the splitting plate. A color fixing system is added at the front of the dyeing system. A bunching bell mouth device and a delivery roller pair are arranged at the front of the color fixing system.

An apparatus for manufacturing open carbon fiber superfine yarn comprises a yarn feeding part for feeding a carbon fiber bundle; a tank for storing water for opening carbon fiber to immerse the carbon fiber bundle in the water for opening carbon fiber; a first drying part for drying the open carbon fiber bundle formed by the immersion in the water for opening carbon fiber; an application part for applying a catalyst to the dried open carbon fiber bundle; a second drying part for drying the catalyst-applied open carbon fiber bundle to obtain open carbon fiber resin tape; a slitting part for slitting the open carbon fiber resin tape longitudinally; and a twisting part for twisting a plurality of the open carbon fiber resin tapes slit by the slitting part to form open carbon fiber superfine yarn.

An apparatus for manufacturing open carbon fiber superfine yarn comprises a yarn feeding part for feeding a carbon fiber bundle; a tank for storing water for opening carbon fiber to immerse the carbon fiber bundle in the water for opening carbon fiber; a first drying part for drying the open carbon fiber bundle formed by the immersion in the water for opening carbon fiber; an application part for applying a catalyst to the dried open carbon fiber bundle; a second drying part for drying the catalyst-applied open carbon fiber bundle to obtain open carbon fiber resin tape; a slitting part for slitting the open carbon fiber resin tape longitudinally; and a twisting part for twisting a plurality of the open carbon fiber resin tapes slit by the slitting part to form open carbon fiber superfine yarn.

A polymeric linear substrate is provided with one or more active agents infused into the linear material to a depth less than the 100 micrometers, optionally where the polymeric linear substrate has a cross sectional dimension that does not exceed 2 centimeters. The polymeric material may include a polyamide, a polyester, polyvinylchloride, or polycarbonate. Also provided are systems for infusing a linear substrate with one or more active agents that includes a dye supply providing a dye; a process tank connected to the dye supply and providing a reservoir of a liquid infusion solution including the dye through the linear substrate infusion system; and a process chamber fluidly connected to the process tank for contacting the liquid infusion solution with a linear substrate effective to infuse the dye into a surface of the linear substrate.