Hydrophobic thermal insulation fiberglass flexible blanket using a textile grade fiberglass is produced by impregnating a hydrophobic polymer (e.g. a fluoropolymer) dispersion into a fiberglass blanket/mat, such as a needle felted fiberglass (FG) blanket/mat. The preferred FG needle felt blanket is a mechanically, rather than organically, bound glass fiber insulating blanket. The hydrophobic polymer dispersion forms a hydrophobic coating on the surface of the fiberglass filaments. Integral hydrophobicity is achieved and maintained without the need to add commonly-used hydrophobic inorganic particles, such as treated silica aerogels or fumed silica. Optionally, to enhance overall hydrophobicity and to inhibit fibrous surface lofting, a super-hydrophobic coating of fluoropolymer and inorganic particles such as silica particles may be dispersed onto one or more surfaces of the blanket. The resulting blanket thermally insulates better than mineral wool; it is equal in insulating properties to (or is slightly better than) untreated FG mat; and it slightly less insulating than aerogel-based blanket materials. It is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, it is flexible, it is durable, it can optionally be made moldable, it eliminates dust, and it remains hydrophobic after long-term heating to 600 F. (315 C.), or after short-term excursions to temperatures as high as 700 F. (370 C.).

A nonmetallic conductive geotextile and a geocomposite. The nonmetallic conductive geotextile comprises a geotextile and a nonmetallic conductive structure, the nonmetallic conductive structure comprising one of carbon nanotube, graphene, superconductive carbon black or a combination thereof, wherein the nonmetallic conductive structure may be conductive coating which is coated onto the surface of the geotextile; the nonmetallic conductive structure may also be a conductive fiber, and when producing the geotextile, the conductive fiber is added and connected into the geotextile to form a nonmetallic conductive blended geotextile; the nonmetallic conductive structure may also be a conductive sewing thread, and when producing the geotextile, the conductive sewing thread is sewn onto a nonwoven fabric at regular intervals to form a nonmetallic conductive geotextile; and the geocomposite comprises a geonet and the nonmetallic conductive geotextile bonded to one surface or two surfaces of the geonet.

A foamed, opacifying element has a porous substrate composed of woven yarn strands composed of a thermoplastic polymer-coated multifilament core. It has a dry foamed composition on an opposing surface of the substrate, which includes: (a) 0.1-40 weight % of porous particles; (b) 10-80 weight %; (c) 0.2-50 weight % of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of dispersants, plasticizers, flame retardants, optical brighteners, thickeners, biocides, fungicides, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inert inorganic or organic fillers; (d) less than 5 weight % of water; and (e) at least 0.002 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from all of the one or more additives of (c), which opacifying colorant absorbs electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of 380-800 nm. The elements have a light-blocking value (LBV) of at least 4 and can have a bending stiffness that is greater than 0.15 milliNewtons-meter.

A hydrophobic needle-felted insulation blanket having a textile-grade needle felted fiberglass blanket having a density in the range of 4 to 15 lb/ft3 (65 to 250 g/L) contains a uniform hydrophobic fluoropolymer disposed homogeneously throughout the textile grade needle felted fiberglass blanket without creating a higher density of hydrophobic fluoropolymer near edges of the textile-grade needle felted fiberglass blanket. The fluoropolymer has a melting point over 5500 Fahrenheit and decomposed residual hydrophilic compounds uniformly disposed through the textile grade needle felted fiberglass blanket. The finished hydrophobic needle-felted insulation blanket is (i) temperature stable up to 5500 Fahrenheit, (ii) moldable, (iii) silica dust free, and thereafter retains a selected shape and the finished blanket will not decompose, disintegrate, or lose structural integrity when submerged in water. The finished blanket comprises by weight: 60%-95% glass fiber 2%-30% hydrophobic flouropolymer, and non-decomposed hydrophilic opacifier.

Hydrophobic thermal insulation fiberglass flexible blanket using a textile grade fiberglass is produced by impregnating a hydrophobic polymer (e.g. a fluoropolymer) dispersion into a fiberglass blanket/mat, such as a needle felted fiberglass (FG) blanket/mat. The preferred FG needle felt blanket is a mechanically, rather than organically, bound glass fiber insulating blanket. The hydrophobic polymer dispersion forms a hydrophobic coating on the surface of the fiberglass filaments. Integral hydrophobicity is achieved and maintained without the need to add commonly-used hydrophobic inorganic particles, such as treated silica aerogels or fumed silica. Optionally, to enhance overall hydrophobicity and to inhibit fibrous surface lofting, a super-hydrophobic coating of fluoropolymer and inorganic particles such as silica particles may be dispersed onto one or more surfaces of the blanket. The resulting blanket thermally insulates better than mineral wool; it is equal in insulating properties to (or is slightly better than) untreated FG mat; and it slightly less insulating than aerogel-based blanket materials. It is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, it is flexible, it is durable, it can optionally be made moldable, it eliminates dust, and it remains hydrophobic after long-term heating to 600 F. (315 C.), or after short-term excursions to temperatures as high as 700 F. (370 C.).

The invention provides a flame retardant material comprising a substrate, an optionally corona-treated coating on the substrate, the coating comprising a polyolefin composition comprising a) an ethylene based plastomer with a density in the range of 0.857 to 0.915 g/cm.sup.3 and an MFR.sub.2 in the range 0.5-30 g/10 min; b) a propylene based plastomer with a density in the range of 0.860 to 0.910 g/cm.sup.3 and an MFR.sub.2 in the range 0.01-30 g/10 min; and c) a flame retardant, a primer layer on top of the coating and a lacquer topcoat.

A softening agent composition including (1) a silicone polymer, (2) a water-repellent polymer, (3) an emulsifier, and (4) a liquid medium that is water or a mixture of water and an organic solvent. Also disclosed is a method for producing the softening agent composition which includes producing a water-repellent polymer by polymerizing, in the presence of the silicone polymer, a monomer that constitutes the water-repellent polymer. The water-repellent polymer may be at least one selected from the group consisting of fluorine-containing polymers and non-fluorine-containing polymers. Also disclosed is a method for treating a substrate with the softening agent composition and a substrate treated with the softening agent composition.