A flame-retardant composition has a plurality of particles with at least one porosity therein, a flame retardant gas occupying the porosity, and a matrix material in which said particles are dispersed. A sealant applied to at least a portion of the particles, wherein the sealant substantially prevents the gas from escaping the porosities. The matrix is a flame-retardant composition adapted to be applied to various surfaces. The matrix may also function as the sealant. The sealant is formed of a material that will break down and release the gas in the presence of water or flame or other selected conditions. The sealant may be a polymer material. This solves the problem of applying flame-retardant qualities to various surfaces.

A flame-retardant composition has a plurality of particles with at least one porosity therein, a flame retardant gas occupying the porosity, and a matrix material in which said particles are dispersed. A sealant applied to at least a portion of the particles, wherein the sealant substantially prevents the gas from escaping the porosities. The matrix is a flame-retardant composition adapted to be applied to various surfaces. The matrix may also function as the sealant. The sealant is formed of a material that will break down and release the gas in the presence of water or flame or other selected conditions. The sealant may be a polymer material. This solves the problem of applying flame-retardant qualities to various surfaces.

A foam printing method includes producing and programming a design being formed on a substrate using a computer program, forming the design on a plate, removing a part of a surface of the substrate along the design, combining the substrate and the plate to coincide a designed portion formed on the plate and a removed portion of the substrate, printing a foam constituting the design on the plate combined with the substrate, separating the plate from the substrate and drying the substrate, and applying a pressure to the foam passing the plate to be set on the substrate to be foamed. The foam passes the designed portion of the plate to be set on the removed portion of the substrate during the printing.

A foam printing method includes producing and programming a design being formed on a substrate using a computer program, forming the design on a plate, removing a part of a surface of the substrate along the design, combining the substrate and the plate to coincide a designed portion formed on the plate and a removed portion of the substrate, printing a foam constituting the design on the plate combined with the substrate, separating the plate from the substrate and drying the substrate, and applying a pressure to the foam passing the plate to be set on the substrate to be foamed. The foam passes the designed portion of the plate to be set on the removed portion of the substrate during the printing.

In various aspects, the invention provides materials comprising a hydrophobically-modified biopolymer, such as hm-chitosan, as well as methods of making the materials, including textile materials. The hm-biopolymer can be a polysaccharide and may have antimicrobial properties including against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, providing opportunities to combat microbial persistence in clothing and at wound sites.

In various aspects, the invention provides materials comprising a hydrophobically-modified biopolymer, such as hm-chitosan, as well as methods of making the materials, including textile materials. The hm-biopolymer can be a polysaccharide and may have antimicrobial properties including against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, providing opportunities to combat microbial persistence in clothing and at wound sites.

A surface treatment agent which is an aqueous emulsion containing: (a) a fluorine-free polymer including: (i) repeating units derived from a long-chain (meth)acrylate ester monomer represented by the formula: CH.sub.2CA.sup.11-C(O)O-A.sup.12, wherein A.sup.11 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and A.sup.12 is a linear or branched aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 10-30 carbon atoms; (b) a surface active agent including both of a nonionic surface active agent and an anionic surface active agent, wherein the amount of the anionic surface active agent is at least 22% by weight, based on the total of the nonionic surface active agent and the anionic surface active agent; and (c) a liquid medium comprising water.

A foamed, opacifying element has a substrate with opposing planar surfaces and a foamed opacifying layer disposed on one opposing surface. The foamed opacifying layer contains (a) 0.1-80 weight % of nonporous polymeric particles; (b) 10-80 weight % of a matrix material derived from a (b) binder material having a glass transition temperature of less than 40? C.; (c) 0.0001-50 weight % of certain additives; (d) less than 5 weight % of water; and (e) at least 0.002 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from all of the (c) additives. Foamable and foamed aqueous compositions can be used to provide these foamed, opacifying elements for use as light-blocking window shades, curtains, or other materials. These light-blocking articles can also have a printable outer surface that accepts ink for making printed images that are not observable from the opposite surface.

An article, such as an article of footwear includes, a textile component. The textile component includes a yarn. The yarn includes a thermoplastic material and a blowing agent with an activation condition. Upon triggering the activation condition of the blowing agent, the blowing agent introduces a plurality of cavities, i.e. cells, into the thermoplastic material, creating a multicellular foam area of the textile.

A task to be achieved by the invention is to provide a fiber substrate having excellent filling state of a urethane resin and excellent hand feeling. The present invention provides a fiber substrate filled with a urethane resin (X), which is formed from a water dispersion of the urethane resin (X), wherein the water dispersion has a urethane resin (X) content of 50 to 80% by mass, and the water dispersion contains no organic solvent. Further, the present invention provides an artificial leather having the above-mentioned fiber substrate. It is preferred that the urethane resin (X) uses a chain extender (a1) as a raw material. Further, the chain extender (a1) which has an amino group is preferably used.