Disclosed is a continuous carbon fiber/thermoplastic resin fiber composite yarn and a method for manufacturing the same, wherein the carbon fiber composite yarn provides excellent mechanical properties, is light in weight, moldable, and has excellent impregnating ability. In particular, the composite yarn is provided with these superior properties by including a continuous carbon fiber having excellent mechanical properties, a thermoplastic resin fiber, and the like, and by using a false twist processing machine or a solution bath, and the like in order to manufacture the composite yarn.

The present disclosure generally relates to polymer-aerogel/fiber composite materials, polymer-aerogel/textile composite materials, and systems and methods for producing them. The gel material can comprise, in some embodiments, a network of polymer. The fiber and/or textile material can comprise at least one of any natural, synthetic, and/or mineral fiber. In some cases, certain combinations of materials, solvents, and/or processing steps may be synergistically employed so as to enable manufacture of materials suitable for use in apparel, soft goods, and other consumer applications which may benefit from the properties of a polymer-aerogel/fiber composite and/or the polymer-aerogel/textile composite.

The present disclosure generally relates to polymer-aerogel/fiber composite materials, polymer-aerogel/textile composite materials, and systems and methods for producing them. The gel material can comprise, in some embodiments, a network of polymer. The fiber and/or textile material can comprise at least one of any natural, synthetic, and/or mineral fiber. In some cases, certain combinations of materials, solvents, and/or processing steps may be synergistically employed so as to enable manufacture of materials suitable for use in apparel, soft goods, and other consumer applications which may benefit from the properties of a polymer-aerogel/fiber composite and/or the polymer-aerogel/textile composite.

The invention relates to a fiberglass material manufacture method and facility, were in molten glass is converted into fiberglass material via the steps of spinning, drawing, sizing, and collecting, followed by a step of producing a resulting fiberglass material that is then subjected to thermal desizing. The fumes from the melting furnace are used to preheat a combustion reagent from the melting furnace in two steps: a first step in which air is heated via heat exchange with the fumes, and a second step in which the combustion reagent is preheated via heat exchange with the hot air, the air then being used in the step of desizing the fiberglass material.

A method (10) for cleaning fibers from a contaminated article is disclosed. The method (10) can include pulping (20) a contaminated article to separate the fibers or filaments from the contaminated article in a first solution to provide dissociated pulped fibers. The method (10) can also include washing (26) the dissociated pulped fibers by forming a suspension comprising the dissociated pulped fibers from the contaminated article and a detergent, applying a magnetic field to the suspension, and mixing the suspension to wash the dissociated pulped fibers while applying the magnetic field to the suspension thereby forming washed pulped fibers. Contaminates can be removed from the suspension while washing (26) the dissociated pulped fibers. The washed pulped fibers can be rinsed and dried to provide clean fibers.

A method (10) for cleaning fibers from a contaminated article is disclosed. The method (10) can include pulping (20) a contaminated article to separate the fibers or filaments from the contaminated article in a first solution to provide dissociated pulped fibers. The method (10) can also include washing (26) the dissociated pulped fibers by forming a suspension comprising the dissociated pulped fibers from the contaminated article and a detergent, applying a magnetic field to the suspension, and mixing the suspension to wash the dissociated pulped fibers while applying the magnetic field to the suspension thereby forming washed pulped fibers. Contaminates can be removed from the suspension while washing (26) the dissociated pulped fibers. The washed pulped fibers can be rinsed and dried to provide clean fibers.

A method for inhibiting the spread of nosocomial infections in institutional health care settings comprises treating outer garments, worn indoors by employed staff of the institution, to impart antimicrobial properties to those garments by immersing the garments in a solution of glyxol, eugenol and water, squeezing the solution out of the garments, curing the wetted garments under heat, and drying the cured garments; and thereafter requiring employed staff to wear the treated garments while working at the institution; laundering the garments after being worn by the staff, for further wear by the staff, and requiring employed staff to wear the treated garments after the garments have been laundered for so long as the garments retain their antimicrobial properties.

A method and system for the production of fibers for use in biocomposites is provided that includes the ability to use both retted and unretted straw, that keeps the molecular structure of the fibers intact by subjecting the fibers to minimal stress, that maximizes the fiber's aspect ratio, that maximizes the strength of the fibers, and that minimizes time and energy inputs, along with maintaining the fibers in good condition for bonding to the polymer(s) used with the fibers to form the biocomposite material. This consequently increases the functionality of the biocomposites produced (i.e. reinforcement, sound absorption, light weight, heat capacity, etc.), increasing their marketability. Additionally, as the disclosed method does not damage the fibers, oilseed flax straw, as well as all types of fibrous materials (i.e. fiber flax, banana, jute, industrial hemp, sisal, coir) etc., can be processed in bio composite materials.

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 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.