A reinforcing fiber bundle is a continuous reinforcing fiber bundle having a length of at least 1 m and is characterized by the number of monofilaments per unit width being at most 1,600/mm and the average number of fibers in the bundle being at most 1,000 in a region (I), and the drape level found in a region (II) being 120-240 mm. The continuous reinforcing fiber bundle has a length of at least 1 m and is characterized by the adhesion amount of a sizing agent (I) in the region (I) being 0.5-10% by weight and the drape level found in the region (II) being 120-240 mm. The continuous reinforcing fiber bundle has superior mechanical properties, formability into complex shapes, and continuous producibility.

The invention relates to the field involving the softening or lubricating of natural, synthetic or mixed textile fibres, as well as keratin fibres. The invention provides a softening composition, the rheology of which is controlled by means of a particular thickening agent. The invention also relates to the thickening agent, which is made from multiple isocyanate compounds.

The present invention generally relates to the production of knitted sweatbands that exhibit superior elasticity and breathability. Generally, the manufacturing process for producing the knitted sweatbands involves: (1) applying a continuous wax coating onto a polyester yarn; (2) twisting the yarn with one or more additional yarns to produce a twisted yarn; (3) knitting the twisted yarn into a sweatband body; and (4) finishing the sweatband body to form the sweatband. The sweatbands of the present invention can easily facilitate the movement of sweat away from the wearer, while still providing comfort and breathability.

A sizing composition for reinforcing fibres is provided which makes it possible to improve the adhesion of these fibres with respect to an organic matrix that forms, with them, a part made of a composite material and that results from the chain transfer polymerization of a curable resin. The sizing composition includes a polybutadiene prepolymer comprising at least two epoxide functions, a cross-linking agent comprising at least two reactive functions, at least one of which is a thiol function; and a catalyst comprising at least one tertiary amine function. The sizing composition may be used in the following fields of use: aeronautical, aerospace, railway, naval and motor vehicle industries, for example, for the production of structural, engine, passenger compartment or body work parts; arms industry, for example, for the production of parts incorporated into the composition of missiles or missile launch tubes; sports and leisure goods industry, for example, for the production of goods intended for water sports and board sports.

Provided is a sizing-coated carbon fiber bundle that exhibits good spreadability in a step for spreading sizing-coated carbon fibers even in the case in which said carbon fibers exhibit a high adhesiveness with respect to a thermoplastic resin. Provided is a sizing-coated carbon fiber bundle that contains, as sizing components, at least a compound (A) containing an amino group or an amide group.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to an aqueous dispersion. The aqueous dispersion includes a plurality of particles. Each of the particles includes a polycarbonate component. Individual particles of the polycarbonate component have substantially the same size. The dispersion further includes a plasticizer component and a surfactant component. In an embodiment, a sized carbon fiber tow can comprise: a polycarbonate sizing on a carbon fiber tow, wherein the polycarbonate sizing has a concentration of volatile organic compounds less than 10 ppm, preferably less than 5 ppm, or less than 2 ppm; and an average sizing content of at least 0.5 wt % of the carbon fiber tow with a coefficient of variation less than 15%, preferably less than 11%.

An aramid fabric having excellent adhesion to a polyurethane matrix resin and excellent tensile strength is produced by the method including the steps of: (i) weaving a basket-structured aramid fabric by using aramid yarns as warp and weft yarns; and then (ii) dipping the woven aramid fabric in a sizing agent solution consisting of an aqueous polyurethane resin as a sizing agent and water, followed by squeezing and drying. In the present disclosure, the sizing agent is applied to the woven aramid fabric, thereby effectively preventing the deterioration in weaving efficiency. Further, the aramid fabric is woven in a basket weave, and thus the compactness of the aramid fabric is lowered and the wetting property of the aramid fabric with the polyurethane matrix resin is improved.

In one embodiment, a sized carbon fiber tow can comprise: an unsized carbon fiber tow sized with a sizing agent; wherein the sized carbon fiber tow has: a) a fuzz count of less than 8 counts/20 meters; b) a sizing content of at least 0.4 wt % of the unsized carbon fiber tow; and c) drapability less than 5.5 cm. A method of preparing a sized carbon fiber tow, comprising: spreading an unsized carbon fiber tow having a surface energy of at least 70 mJ/m.sup.2, over a spreader unit at a throughput line speed of at least 3 meter/minute and forming spread carbon fibers; sizing the spread carbon fibers in a sizing bath at a throughput line speed of at least 3 meter/minute and forming sized carbon fibers; and drying the sized carbon fibers and forming the sized carbon fiber tow.

A coated yarn has a yarn core and a coating disposed coaxially on the yarn core. This coating contains: (i) porous particles present in an amount of at least 4 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase, having a mode particle size of 2-50 m and up to and including 50 m; (ii) a film-forming binder material having a T.sub.g of less than or equal to 25 C., which is present in an amount of 40-90 weight %; and (iii) an inorganic filler material having a value of less than 5 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness, which inorganic filler material is present in an amount of 4 weight % and up to and including 30 weight %.

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.