The application of melanin to fabric improves resistance to chemical pass-through, with possible application in protective garments, shelters, and filtration materials.

A method for reducing odor, by providing a colloidal dispersion of particles of silica having a particle size of from 3 nm to 100 nm, said particles having ions of one or more metals selected from copper, silver, zinc and iron adsorbed at the particle surface, and bringing at least one of said particles into contact with an odorous compound; and/or providing an aqueous silicate solution containing metal ions selected from ions of copper, silver, zinc and iron, and bringing at least one metal ion-carrying silicate particle formed in the solution into contact with an odorous compound. A composition for use in such a method and a product treated by such a composition.

A method of preparing a vinyl collagen microsphere polyamide fiber composite material includes the following steps: step 1: modifying a collagen with methacrylic anhydride to obtain a vinyl collagen, then emulsifying and cross-linking the vinyl collagen to obtain vinyl collagen microspheres; step 2: treating a polyamide fiber substrate with formaldehyde to obtain a hydroxylated polyamide fiber substrate, treating the hydroxylated polyamide fiber with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS) to obtain a sulfhydrylated polyamide fiber substrate; and step 3: modifying the sulfhydrylated polyamide fiber substrate with the vinyl collagen microspheres to obtain the vinyl collagen microsphere polyamide fiber composite material.

This invention relates to a process for making phenolic fatty acid compounds having a reduced phenolic ester content. The invention also relates to method for chemically bonding a phenolic resin with a non-phenolic polymer (e.g., a synthetic fabric). The method comprises contacting a phenolic fatty acid compound with a non-phenolic polymer to introduce a hydroxy phenyl functional group into the non-phenolic polymer; and reacting the hydroxy phenyl functional group contained in the non-phenolic polymer with a phenolic resin or a phenolic crosslinker composition capable of forming a phenolic resin, to chemically bond the phenolic resin with the non-phenolic polymer. The invention is particularly useful for making a synthetic fabric-reinforced article, such as synthetic fabric-reinforced rubber article, circuit board substrate, or fiberglass.

This invention provides antibacterial and antiviral compositions and methods. The compositions possess prolonged and powerful antibacterial/antiviral functions under light exposure and even under completely dark conditions, while daylight exposures could recharge the functions repeatedly. In some embodiments, compositions of the invention can be employed in personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks, biologically self-cleaning air and water filters, medical devices, and products. The biocidal PPE can prevent transmission of infectious diseases such as Ebola and respiratory viruses. In some embodiments, compositions of the invention can be employed in food protectant materials to provide antimicrobial and antiviral bio-protection during food transportation and storage.

The present invention relates to surface modifying agents for polymeric and/or textile materials, methods of making and/or using a surface modifying agent to modify and functionalize polymeric and/or textile materials, and/or methods of using surface modified or functionalized polymeric and textile materials, and/or products using or incorporating surface modified or functionalized polymeric and textile materials. For example, the surface modifying agent in precursor form can be styrene sulfonyl azide monomer, polymer or copolymer capable of undergoing a chemical reaction in the presence of heat or light to form one or more styrene sulfonated nitrene monomers, polymers or copolymers, which are capable of chemically reacting with the surface of a polymeric or textile material to endow a specific or desired chemical surface functionality to the surface of a polymeric or textile material. Furthermore, the present invention is possibly preferably directed to a surface modifying agent which comprises a styrene sulfonated nitrene monomer, polymer or polymer containing one or more nitrene functional groups, which are capable of chemically reacting via an insertion reaction into one or more carbon-hydrogen bonds on the surface of a polymeric or textile material in order to chemically attach a specific or desired chemical functionality to the surface of a polymeric or textile material.

A method for functionalizing the surface of a substrate, performed in a supercritical fluid medium, may include: (i) providing a substrate having labile hydrogen functions on the surface; (ii) bringing the substrate into contact, in a supercritical fluid, with at least one organic molecule carrying at least one blocked isocyanate function which can be activated by heating; and (iii) subjecting the whole to a temperature sufficient to bring about the release of the blocked isocyanate function carried by the molecule, and the covalent grafting of the molecule by reaction of the isocyanate function with a labile hydrogen function on the surface of the substrate.

A method of preparing a vinyl collagen microsphere polyamide fiber composite material includes the following steps: step 1: modifying a collagen with methacrylic anhydride to obtain a vinyl collagen, then emulsifying and cross-linking the vinyl collagen to obtain vinyl collagen microspheres; step 2: treating a polyamide fiber substrate with formaldehyde to obtain a hydroxylated polyamide fiber substrate, treating the hydroxylated polyamide fiber with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS) to obtain a sulfhydrylated polyamide fiber substrate; and step 3: modifying the sulfhydrylated polyamide fiber substrate with the vinyl collagen microspheres to obtain the vinyl collagen microsphere polyamide fiber composite material.

The invention relates to a method of fabricating a conductive fabric by vapor phase polymerization, a multi-pressure sensor for a fiber type, and a multi-pressure measuring method employing the multi-pressure sensor. The method of fabricating a conductive fabric by vapor phase polymerization provides a conductive fabric having a resistance value which changes depending on pressure applied by a user. The multi-pressure measuring method employing the multi-pressure sensor has high resistance to moisture and repeated loading, is manufactured with lower costs than existing pressure sensors, is capable of measuring both dynamic and static pressures using a principle of a piezo-resistive sensor, has a simple circuit configuration, and is strong against a high-frequency disturbance.

This invention relates to a process for making phenolic fatty acid compounds having a reduced phenolic ester content. The invention also relates to method for chemically bonding a phenolic resin with a non-phenolic polymer (e.g., a synthetic fabric). The method comprises contacting a phenolic fatty acid compound with a non-phenolic polymer to introduce a hydroxy phenyl functional group into the non-phenolic polymer; and reacting the hydroxy phenyl functional group contained in the non-phenolic polymer with a phenolic resin or a phenolic crosslinker composition capable of forming a phenolic resin, to chemically bond the phenolic resin with the non-phenolic polymer. The invention is particularly useful for making a synthetic fabric-reinforced article, such as synthetic fabric-reinforced rubber article, circuit board substrate, or fiberglass.