A foamed, opacifying element useful as a light-blocking article is prepared with a dry opacifying layer on a substrate. The dry opacifying layer is densified, followed by application of a functional composition formulation to form a functional composition upon drying and curing at a coverage of 0.5-15 g/m.sup.2. The functional composition comprises at least: (i) glass particles such as hollow glass particles at a coverage of 0.1-2.2 g/cm.sup.2, and can also include any or combination of a (iv) water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymeric binder that may be crosslinked, thickeners, coating aids having an HLB of at least 5, (ii) lubricants, (iii) tinting materials, and (v) crosslinking agents. Among other properties, the presence of the glass particles provides additional heat absorption for the foamed, opacifying elements that can be formed into light-blocking materials.

Laminated light-blocking decorative articles are prepared by applying an aqueous foamed opacifying composition to a non-woven fabric, drying, laminating a decorative 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 desired quantity of a 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.

Laminated light-blocking decorative articles are prepared by applying an aqueous foamed opacifying composition to a non-woven fabric, drying, laminating a decorative 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 desired quantity of a 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 provides a formulation for a fibrous non-woven facing material, wherein the formulation comprises a binder, a filler, and an extender. The extender has an median particle size, d.sub.50, which is equal to or less than 3.5 μm, and a non-spherical morphology. The filler has an median particle size, d.sub.50, which is equal to or less than 3.0 μm and wherein the filler has a d.sub.10 equal to or less than 1.0 μm and a d.sub.90 equal to or less than 6.0 μm. The formulation comprises less than 13 wt % titanium dioxide on a dry solids basis. Also provided is a fibrous non-woven facing material comprising the formulation, a process for preparing the fibrous non-woven facing material and a fibrous non-woven facing material obtained by said process.

A light-blocking article is designed to be lightweight but effective to block most incident actinic radiation and can be designed into fabrics, curtains, and other materials. Such an article has an opacifying layer that is capable of blocking predetermined electromagnetic radiation. The article contains (a) porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric binder and pores within the continuous polymeric binder, the porous particles having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. and a mode particle size of at least 2 μm and up to and including 50 μm. The article also contains an opacifying colorant that absorbs the predetermined electromagnetic radiation (such as within 400 nm to 700 nm), in an amount of at least 0.001 weight % based on the total dry weight of the opacifying layer, and a matrix polymer in which the porous particles and opacifying colorant are dispersed.

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.

Laminated light-blocking decorative articles are prepared by applying an aqueous foamed opacifying composition to a non-woven fabric, drying, laminating a decorative 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 desired quantity of a 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.

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.

A foamed, opacifying element is prepared to have a light-blocking value (LBV) of at least 4. A method is carried out in a specific order with a unique series of steps including: providing a unique foamable aqueous composition; aerating that foamable aqueous composition to a foam density of at least 0.1-0.5 g/cm.sup.3; disposing the foamed aqueous composition onto a surface of a porous substrate; drying the foamed aqueous composition without substantial curing of the binder material therein, to provide a dry foamed composition on the surface, without substantial curing; densifying the dry foamed composition to provide a dry opacifying layer in a foamed, opacifying element; and curing the dry opacifying layer in the foamed, opacifying element.

A foamed, opacifying element useful as a light-blocking article has a substrate; an opacifying layer disposed on the substrate, and a functional composition disposed over the opacifying layer. The functional composition comprises: (i) glass particles such as hollow glass particles. The presence of the glass particles provides additional heat absorption for the foamed, opacifying elements that can be formed into light-blocking materials.