Methods to increase structural performance, strength, and durability of textile-reinforced composite materials are provided. The textile reinforcement may be knitted, for example, in a flat bed weft knitting machine. The method may include pre-stressing a textile reinforcement preform by applying tension. A polymeric precursor may be introduced to the pre-stressed textile reinforcement preform. The polymeric precursor may then be cured or consolidated, followed by releasing of the applied tension to form the composite article comprising polymer and the pre-stressed textile reinforcement. In other aspects, a composite article is provided that has a pre-stressed textile reinforcement structure and a cured polymer. The textile reinforcement may be a knitted, lightweight, seamless, unitary structure. The knitted reinforcement structure may have distinct first and second knitted regions with different levels of pre-stress, thus providing enhanced control over strength, rigidity, and flexibility of the composite article.

Methods to increase structural performance, strength, and durability of textile-reinforced composite materials are provided. The textile reinforcement may be knitted, for example, in a flat bed weft knitting machine. The method may include pre-stressing a textile reinforcement preform by applying tension. A polymeric precursor may be introduced to the pre-stressed textile reinforcement preform. The polymeric precursor may then be cured or consolidated, followed by releasing of the applied tension to form the composite article comprising polymer and the pre-stressed textile reinforcement. In other aspects, a composite article is provided that has a pre-stressed textile reinforcement structure and a cured polymer. The textile reinforcement may be a knitted, lightweight, seamless, unitary structure. The knitted reinforcement structure may have distinct first and second knitted regions with different levels of pre-stress, thus providing enhanced control over strength, rigidity, and flexibility of the composite article.

Provided are a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional textile reinforcement material and a method of constructing a textile reinforced concrete structure using a three-dimensional textile reinforcement material. A two-dimensional grid is bent into a three-dimensional shape using a two-dimensionally woven or knitted textile grid, and the bent grid is coupled with at least one two-dimensional grid, and thus the three-dimensional textile reinforcement material can be simply and easily formed. The three-dimensional textile reinforcement material can be formed by coating the coupled two-dimensional grid and a three-dimensional grid with a thermosetting resin and curing the coupled grids to support a concrete pouring pressure. The three-dimensional textile reinforcement material is formed in a truss material, and the three-dimensional textile reinforcement material with high bending strength can be manufactured, thus a concrete pouring pressure can be supported when a textile reinforced concrete structure is constructed using the three-dimensional textile reinforcement material.

Provided are a sizing agent coated carbon fiber bundle that has excellent mechanical characteristics when used as a carbon fiber reinforced composite material, as well as excellent ease of handling; a method for manufacturing the same; and a prepreg and carbon fiber reinforced composite material of excellent mechanical characteristics, employing the fiber bundle. The carbon fiber bundle is coated with a sizing agent that includes a polyether aliphatic epoxy compound having two or more epoxy groups per molecule and/or a polyol aliphatic epoxy compound or a non-water-soluble compound having a glass transition temperature of 100-50 C., wherein the sizing agent coated carbon fiber bundle is characterized in that the flatness ratio (width/thickness) of the carbon fiber bundle cross section is 10-150, and a two edge part/center part sizing agent deposition ratio, obtained by dividing the carbon fiber bundle in the width direction along the fiber direction into three equal parts by mass, and computing the ratio from the ratio of the mass of the sizing agent to the mass of the carbon fiber bundle in the center part and in both end parts, is 1.05-1.5.

Provided are a sizing agent coated carbon fiber bundle that has excellent mechanical characteristics when used as a carbon fiber reinforced composite material, as well as excellent ease of handling; a method for manufacturing the same; and a prepreg and carbon fiber reinforced composite material of excellent mechanical characteristics, employing the fiber bundle. The carbon fiber bundle is coated with a sizing agent that includes a polyether aliphatic epoxy compound having two or more epoxy groups per molecule and/or a polyol aliphatic epoxy compound or a non-water-soluble compound having a glass transition temperature of 100-50 C., wherein the sizing agent coated carbon fiber bundle is characterized in that the flatness ratio (width/thickness) of the carbon fiber bundle cross section is 10-150, and a two edge part/center part sizing agent deposition ratio, obtained by dividing the carbon fiber bundle in the width direction along the fiber direction into three equal parts by mass, and computing the ratio from the ratio of the mass of the sizing agent to the mass of the carbon fiber bundle in the center part and in both end parts, is 1.05-1.5.

Carbon fiber and method of forming the same are provided. The method modifies proportion of a finishing oil to control a relation between a surface tension and a particle size of the finishing oil, and thus penetration of the finishing oil into an interior of the carbon fiber is avoided. Therefore, the carbon fiber can have both low oil residues and a high strength.

The invention relates to a polyamide cord for use as carcass strength member in a pneumatic vehicle tire, wherein the polyamide cord has a residual shrinkage in the range from 0% to 2% and a shrinkage at 180 C. in the range from 0% to 4.5%, where the residual shrinkage of the polyamide cord and the shrinkage at 180 C. of the polyamide cord are determined to ASTM D 855. The invention also relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire comprising one or more polyamide cords and to a process for producing one or more polyamide cords, to a process for producing a rubberized reinforcement ply and to a process for producing a pneumatic vehicle tire.

The application relates to a process for producing fibrous material with antimicrobial properties, wherein in the first step coniferous resin acid composition is emulsified into aqueous solution with emulsifier and wetting agent, and in the second step thus formed emulsion is transferred into fibrous material by impregnation. Further, the application relates to an aqueous antimicrobial composition for use as a water-soluble concentrate in the treatment of fibrous materials, and to a fibrous material with antimicrobial properties, and to its use in e.g. fabrics, fur, leather, clothes, canvas, tissues, plastics, webs, accessories, packaging materials, wallpapers, food-related products, household products, footwear, construction materials, insulating materials and medical products.

The application relates to a process for producing fibrous material with antimicrobial properties, wherein in the first step coniferous resin acid composition is emulsified into aqueous solution with emulsifier and wetting agent, and in the second step thus formed emulsion is transferred into fibrous material by impregnation. Further, the application relates to an aqueous antimicrobial composition for use as a water-soluble concentrate in the treatment of fibrous materials, and to a fibrous material with antimicrobial properties, and to its use in e.g. fabrics, fur, leather, clothes, canvas, tissues, plastics, webs, accessories, packaging materials, wallpapers, food-related products, household products, footwear, construction materials, insulating materials and medical products.

A method for applying a treatment agent to a substrate, wherein the treatment agent is bound to a solid polymeric particle at a first pH, and wherein the substrate is contacted with the solid polymeric treatment particles under conditions such that the treatment agent is released from the solid polymeric treatment particles.