Carpet binder compositions comprising a mineral filler and a copolymer produced by emulsion polymerization and derived from monomers comprising a vinyl aromatic monomer, a 1,3-diene monomer, and an additional monomer selected from a copolymerizable surfactant, a (meth)acrylate monomer, a carboxylic acid monomer, or a combination thereof are disclosed. The carpet binder compositions can be formulated with a non-polymerizable surfactant such as an aryl phosphate surfactant. The compositions exhibit superior wet and dry delamination strengths as well as suitable froth viscosities. As a result, such carpet binder compositions can be made at higher filler loadings.

Laminated light-blocking decorative articles are prepared by applying an aqueous foamed opacifying composition to a decorative fabric, drying, laminating a non-woven fabric to the resulting dry foamed opacifying layer, and densifying that layer to have a thickness that is at least 20% less than before densifying. This operation can be carried out so that non-woven fabric, decorative fabric, and aqueous foamed opacifying composition are supplied in a single-pass, in-line operation to make any quantity of laminated light-blocking decorative article. The applied aqueous foamed opacifying composition has 35%-70% solids and a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm.sup.3. It is composed of (a) porous particles, (b) a binder material, (c) two or more additives comprising at least one foaming surfactant and at least one foam stabilizer, (d) an aqueous medium, and (e) at least 0.0001 weight % of an opacifying colorant that absorbs electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of 380-800 nm.

The present invention relates to a porous layer structure containing a base material and a polyurethane porous layer formed on the base material, wherein a moisture permeability A of the porous layer structure measured by JIS L1099 A-1 (calcium chloride method) is 2000 to 10000 g/(m.sup.2.Math.24h), a moisture permeability loss rate obtained by a predetermined formula from a moisture permeability B of the base material alone measured by JIS L1099 A-1 (calcium chloride method) and the moisture permeability A is 75% or less, and a peel strength at a bonding surface between the base material and the polyurethane porous layer is 0.7 kgf/inch or more.

A method is designed to prepare foamed, opacifying elements each having a target light blocking value (LBV.sub.T) of at least 3, using a textile fabric substrate with a light blocking value (LBV.sub.S). The LBV.sub.T-S difference is calculated; a foamable aqueous composition is chosen; a dry coating weight for the foamable aqueous composition (when foamed) is determined to form a single dry opacifying layer that is foamed, dried, and densified to provide a dry thickness at least 20% less than the original dry thickness. The single dry opacifying layer a has light blocking value that is equal to LBV.sub.T-S, ±15%. The desired foamable aqueous composition can be chosen from a set of similar compositions to achieve the desired LBV.sub.T with the noted textile fabric substrate using suitable mathematical formula relating dry coating weight to light blocking value and a suitable data processor.

Laminate precursors are prepared by applying an aqueous foamed opacifying composition to a non-woven fabric, drying, optionally applying an anti-blocking material to the dried aqueous foamed opacifying composition, and densifying the dry foamed opacifying layer so that it will have a thickness that is at least 20% less than its thickness before densifying. Each laminate precursor is rolled up for immediate or later use to make laminate decorative articles when the unrolled laminate precursor is laminated with back side of a decorative fabric. The applied aqueous foamed opacifying composition has 35%-70% solids and a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm.sup.3. It is composed of (a) porous particles, (b) a binder material, (c) two or more additives comprising at least one foaming surfactant and at least one foam stabilizer, (d) an aqueous medium, and (e) an opacifying colorant that absorbs electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of 380-800 nm.

The joint use of polyol ethers and ethylene oxide-rich alkyl alkoxylates as additives in filler-containing aqueous polymer dispersions for production of porous polymer coatings, preferably for production of porous polyurethane coatings, is described.

The joint use of polyol esters and ethylene oxide-rich alkyl alkoxylates as additives in filler-containing aqueous polymer dispersions for production of porous polymer coatings, preferably for production of porous polyurethane coatings, is described.

The present invention relates to artificial leather having a water-based polyurethane foam layer including a fabric layer 110; a binder layer 111 laminated on the upper portion of the fabric layer 110; a water-based polyurethane foam layer 120 laminated on the upper portion of the fabric layer 110; a skin layer 130 laminated on the upper portion of the water-based polyurethane foam layer 120; and a surface treatment layer 140 laminated on the upper portion of the skin layer 130, wherein open cells are formed in the water-based polyurethane foam layer 120 through mechanical foaming. According to the present invention, a water-based polyurethane foam layer having open cells formed through mechanical foaming is applied to artificial leather for automobile seats.

A multi-layer material suitable for use as a covering for an article includes a polymeric cellular layer and nonwoven backing layer. The multi-layer material having a creasability angle of between about 20 and about 160 degrees.

A co-foamable vinyl plastisol composition, a gelled or fused co-foamed vinyl layer, a co-foamed vinyl layer, methods of manufacture of the layer and use of the layer in floor coverings such as sheet vinyl, cushioned vinyl flooring, floor tiles, and laminated planks are described. The co-foaming is preferably a sequential foaming of a single layer such as a single coated layer, such as sequentially applied mechanical foaming or frothing followed by chemical foaming. A co-foamable vinyl plastisol composition is mechanically foamed/frothed before it is applied to a substrate. Once on the substrate, the co-foamable layer can be processed further and is chemically foamed in a later process step.