A method for forming a metallic nanoparticle and semiconductor coated fiber material is provided. The method can include the steps of coating at least one surface of a material, for example a textile material, with a semiconducting layer, and growing metallic nanoparticles on the semiconducting layer. The steps for coating the surface of the material with a semiconducting layer can include forming a titanium dioxide film on the surface of the textile material. The steps for forming metallic nanoparticles on a semiconducting layer can include immersing the coated textile layer in a metallic nanoparticle precursor solution, drying the coated textile layer and exposing the textile layer to UV radiation. The metallic nanoparticles can include gold and/or silver nanoparticles. Also disclosed are materials having a least one treated surface coated with metallic nanoparticles. The treated surface may comprise the surface of a textile material treated according to the methods provided herein.

A method for forming superior and stable metallic nanoparticle and semiconductor coated fiber materials is provided. The method can include the steps of coating at least one surface of a material, for example a textile material, with a semiconducting layer, and growing metallic nanoparticles directly on the semiconducting layer. The steps for coating the surface of the material with a semiconducting layer can include forming a titanium dioxide film on the surface of the textile material, immersing the coated textile layer in a metallic nanoparticle precursor solution, drying the coated textile layer and exposing the textile layer to UV radiation. The metallic nanoparticles can include gold and/or silver nanoparticles. Also disclosed are materials resistant to microbes, including bacteria and viruses. These materials comprise at least one treated surface coated with metallic nanoparticles. The treated surface may comprise the surface of a textile material, such as a cotton fiber surface. Personal protection equipment, that are effective for preventing exposure to bacteria and viruses, such as surgical masks and protective garments, are provided, and are made with the textiles described.

A laundry additive composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer, a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100 C., and an antimicrobial active for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel, as well as imparting microbiocidal or microbiostatic properties to the fabric and/or washing machine surfaces. Laundry additive compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking a fabric or garment. Alternately, they can be added to a washing treatment liquor that comprises either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits and/or refresh the microbiocidal or microbiostatic properties imparted to fabrics and/or washing machine surfaces.

The present invention relates to a soil release agent capable of enhancing cleaning properties for removing a soil during cleaning through treatment of an object, and a soil release composition containing the soil release agent. The soil release agent is a soil release agent including a modified hydroxyalkyl cellulose in which a hydroxyalkyl cellulose is bound to at least one selected from a cationic group and a hydrophobic group including a hydrocarbon group having 4 or more carbon atoms.

Provided is a fiber structure having high adhesion suppressibility against aqueous soil and oily soil and soil removability in washing. A soil resistant fiber structure includes a resin film on at least a part of a fiber surface, the resin film containing polyvinyl alcohol and a fluorine-based oil-repellent resin having a hydrophilic component, the fiber structure having a water repellency degree of 2 or less as measured by a spray test in accordance with JIS L-1092, and an oil repellency degree of 2 or more as measured in accordance with AATCC 118 method. The fluorine-based oil-repellent resin is preferably a fluorine-based oil-repellent resin containing a polyoxyalkylene group. The polyvinyl alcohol preferably has an average polymerization degree of 200 to 1500.

A natural strip or strip-based weaving or weave fabric product or a natural strip or strip-based woven product is coated and protected with a crosslinking polyvinyl acetate (XPVAc or x-PVAc) adhesive. Said adhesive is applied and cured on the exterior surfaces of said product as a first coating layer or a primer in combination with a coating layer of acrylic, alkyd, asphalt, epoxy, latex, polyurethane, silicone coatings, urethane, vinyl ester, etc. coated over the cured adhesive as a second coating layer or a topcoat. Said product is woven or fabricated with stalks, stakes, staves, stems, sticks, strands, shoots, splints, straws, strings, twigs, bark, branches, laths, leaves, rods, roots, whicker, etc. of a fiber plant, a tree, or a crop, or the combination thereof.

A process of fabricating the composition coating may include selecting a textile material substrate, utilizing a sol-gel comprising a silane or silane derivative and metal oxide precursor to coat the substrate, and optionally coating the substrate with a hydrophobic chemical agent and/or other chemical agents to create a surface with nanoscopic or microscopic features. The process may utilize an all solution process or controlled environment for fabricating a composition coating that prevent wetting or staining of a substrate. The composition coatings for treating textile materials improve soil-resistance and stain-resistance of the textile materials. The composition coatings and their use for treating textile materials can also impart water repellency, oil repellency, ease of cleaning stains and removing particulates. In addition, the composite solution may impart additional properties such as physical strength to the textile whilst retaining the original appearance.

A fiber and method for making the same is disclosed that comprises a surface treatment, wherein the surface treatment comprises at least one clay nanoparticle component present in an amount greater than 2000 ppm on the surface of the fiber. Also disclosed is a fiber and method for making the same, comprising a surface treatment, wherein the surface treatment comprises at least one clay nanoparticle component and excludes flourochemicals.

A synthetic leather comprising a substrate, a skin layer that is disposed on one main surface of the substrate, and an anti-stain layer that is disposed to cover the skin layer. The anti-stain layer contains a base resin that comprises silicon and a unit derived from a compound that has a urethane bond. In the anti-stain layer, a fluorine atom/silicon atom atomic ratio, which is a proportion of a fluorine atom to the silicon atom, is 0.01 or less. A first color difference E1* between before and after a stain adhesion test performed on the synthetic leather rubbed under a specific condition is 5 or less.

Composition, comprising at least components (A) and (B) and optionally at least one of components (C) to (E): (A) a polyacrylate obtained in the polymerisation of monomers (M1) CH.sub.2CR.sup.3COOR.sup.1 with (M2) CH.sub.2CR.sup.3COOR.sup.2 and optionally (M3) CH.sub.2CR.sup.6COOYR.sub.F (M4) CH.sub.2CR.sup.3XR.sup.4; (B) a wax; (C) a blocked isocyanate; (D) an organic polysiloxane; (E) a melamine resin.