The present invention can provide a fiber having a further enhanced strength while serving as a ceramic fiber. To this end, a composite fiber according to the present invention a first fiber component member made of a material having a volume resistivity of 5×10.sup.−6 to 5×10 .sup.6 Ω.Math.m, or a material of a semiconductor or metalloid; and a second fiber component member comprising a ceramic material, wherein the first fiber component member and the second fiber component member are adjacent to each other such that the first and second fiber component members form a fibrous body.

A method of creating a soft and lofty continuous fiber nonwoven web is provided. The method includes providing first and second, different molten polymers to a spinneret defining a plurality of orifices and flowing a fluid intermediate the spinneret and a moving porous member. The method includes using the fluid to draw the first and second molten polymers, in a direction toward the porous member, through at least some of the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of individual continuous fiber strands. The method includes depositing the continuous fiber strands onto the porous member at a first location to produce an intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web, and intermittently varying, in at least two different zones, a vacuum force applied to the moving porous member and to the intermediate web downstream of the first location and without the addition of more continuous fibers and without any heat applied.

A method for producing an artificial turf fiber, comprising: preparing a core polymer mixture from a core polymer and a thread polymer forming beads within the core polymer; coextruding the core polymer mixture with a cladding polymer component into a monofilament, the core polymer mixture forming a cylindrical core, The cladding polymer component forming a cladding encompassing the core with a non-circular profile; quenching the monofilament; reheating the quenched monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the beads into threadlike regions; and providing one or more of the stretched monofilaments as the artificial turf fiber.

A method for producing an artificial turf fiber, comprising: preparing a core polymer mixture from a core polymer and a thread polymer forming beads within the core polymer; coextruding the core polymer mixture with a cladding polymer component into a monofilament, the core polymer mixture forming a cylindrical core, The cladding polymer component forming a cladding encompassing the core with a non-circular profile; quenching the monofilament; reheating the quenched monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the beads into threadlike regions; and providing one or more of the stretched monofilaments as the artificial turf fiber.

A method of manufacturing artificial turf creating a liquid polymer mixture, wherein the polymer mixture is at least a two-phase system. A first one of the phases includes a first polymer and a first dye, and a second one of the phases of the polymer mixture includes a second polymer and a second dye of a different color than the first dye. The first and the second phase are immiscible, the first phase forming polymer beads within the second phase. The method further includes extruding the polymer mixture into a monofilament including a marbled pattern of the first and second color; quenching the monofilament; reheating the monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the polymer beads into threadlike regions and to form the monofilament into an artificial turf fiber; and incorporating the artificial turf fiber into an artificial turf backing.

A method of manufacturing artificial turf creating a liquid polymer mixture, wherein the polymer mixture is at least a two-phase system. A first one of the phases includes a first polymer and a first dye, and a second one of the phases of the polymer mixture includes a second polymer and a second dye of a different color than the first dye. The first and the second phase are immiscible, the first phase forming polymer beads within the second phase. The method further includes extruding the polymer mixture into a monofilament including a marbled pattern of the first and second color; quenching the monofilament; reheating the monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the polymer beads into threadlike regions and to form the monofilament into an artificial turf fiber; and incorporating the artificial turf fiber into an artificial turf backing.

A composite fiber is provided. The composite fiber includes a first region and a second region. The component of the first region includes a coloring agent and a resin. The component of the second region includes a crosslinked thermoplastic polymer and the crosslinked thermoplastic polymer includes gel particles with an average particle size no more than 1000 nm. A method for forming the composite fiber is also provided.

A composite fiber is provided. The composite fiber includes a first region and a second region. The component of the first region includes a coloring agent and a resin. The component of the second region includes a crosslinked thermoplastic polymer and the crosslinked thermoplastic polymer includes gel particles with an average particle size no more than 1000 nm. A method for forming the composite fiber is also provided.

The separator of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is characterized by having a composite nanofiber fiber which is a nanosize fiber that contains two or more kinds of aqueous resins whose melting points are different.

The separator of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is characterized by having a composite nanofiber fiber which is a nanosize fiber that contains two or more kinds of aqueous resins whose melting points are different.