Systems and methods, as well as a machine, which can be used to improve constancy of fabric exposure to chemicals in a liquid bath and particular in the process of metallization. These systems and methods can be used to provide for more effective batch processing of fabric but can also be linked together to provide for what is effectively a continuous process as well.

The present invention provides a process for modifying the surface of a polyvinyl alcohol film or fabric by applying heat and pressure to the film or fabric to increase the moisture on the surface which is held by the fabric and to coalesce the surface fibers and reduce the porosity of the surface.

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a highly functional surface-modified fibrous material with high added value, to which a novel functionality is imparted while making use of the characteristics inherent in the fibrous material, by modifying the surface of a natural fibrous material derived from an animal or a plant, or of a synthetic fiber; and a surface-modified fibrous material thereby obtained. The method of manufacturing a surface-modified fibrous material according to the invention includes attaching an inorganic material on the surface of a fibrous material by a sol-gel reaction, while allowing the fibrous material to move via an air stream. Preferably, an atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma is further applied to the surface of the fibrous material on the surface of which the inorganic material has been attached, while allowing the fibrous material to move via an air stream.

The present invention relates to textile fabrics and methods of manufacturing textile fabrics. Particularly, the invention comprises a method of producing a fabric, comprising the steps of (i) blending chemo mechanically felting fibers with non-felting fibers into a blended feed material, (ii) spinning the blended feed material into a blended yarn, (iii) producing a fabric comprising the blended yarn, (iv) subjecting the fabric to a first fabric treatment comprising a mechanical felting treatment; and (v) subjecting the fabric to a second fabric treatment comprising a chemical treatment of the fabric with an alkali, wherein the ratio of weight of the alkali to dry fabric weight is between 0.02 and 0.05, thereby obtaining increased air space in the resultant fabric.

A gas barrier fabric is disclosed. The barrier fabric includes a fabric substrate. A heat-resistant coating layer disposed over a first side of the fabric substrate. A first gas barrier layer (also referred to herein as simply as a barrier layer) including a polymer is disposed over a second side of the fabric substrate. A second gas barrier layer is disposed over the first air barrier coating layer of the fabric substrate. The second barrier layer has a thickness of 5 nm to 1000 nm and includes aligned nanoplatelets.

A fiber is made with a polybenzimidazole (PBI) polymer with a phosphoric acid pick-up (APU) in the range of 1-25% (PBI-p fiber). The PBI-p fiber may have a LOI50% and/or an initial thermal decomposition temperature in air of 555 C. A method of making a phosphonated polybenzimidazole fiber comprises the steps of: spinning an untreated PBI resin into a PBI fiber; treating the PBI fiber with phosphoric acid, and thereby obtaining a PBI fiber with 1-25 wt. % phosphoric acid APU.

A textile structure including one or more layers of warp yarns interwoven with one or more layers of weft yarns, a durable thermoregulating coating, and a binder that chemically bonds the durable thermoregulating coating to the textile structure. The warp yarns and/or weft yarns include polyester yarns. A method for manufacturing a textile structure includes weaving one or more layers of warp yarns with one or more layers or weft yarns to form a woven textile structure, brushing the textile structure at least two times, applying a binder to the textile structure, and applying a durable thermoregulating coating to the textile structure such that the binder chemically bonds the durable thermoregulating coating to the textile structure. The method may also include heat setting and curing the textile structure to fix the durable thermoregulating coating permanently onto the textile structure.

A textile structure including one or more layers of warp yarns interwoven with one or more layers of weft yarns, a durable thermoregulating coating, and a binder that chemically bonds the durable thermoregulating coating to the textile structure. The warp yarns and/or weft yarns include polyester yarns. A method for manufacturing a textile structure includes weaving one or more layers of warp yarns with one or more layers or weft yarns to form a woven textile structure, brushing the textile structure at least two times, applying a binder to the textile structure, and applying a durable thermoregulating coating to the textile structure such that the binder chemically bonds the durable thermoregulating coating to the textile structure. The method may also include heat setting and curing the textile structure to fix the durable thermoregulating coating permanently onto the textile structure.

Described herein is an antiviral face mask and methods of use thereof to inactivate a virus in contact with the face mask. The face mask may include a fibrous material with silicon nitride powder impregnated therein and a layer surrounding the fibrous material. In some embodiments, silicon nitride is present in the fibrous material at a concentration of about 30 wt. % to about 50 wt. %.

A method of preparing a ceramic fabric for use in a ceramic matrix composite includes arranging a plurality of tows to form a ceramic fabric with a first inter-tow spacing, applying a binder material to the ceramic fabric, and applying pressure to the ceramic fabric to form a pressure stabilized ceramic fabric. Each of the plurality of tows of the ceramic fabric has a first thickness, and each of at least a subset of the plurality of tows of the pressure stabilized ceramic fabric has a second thickness less than the first thickness.