Embodiments of the invention relate to flame resistant fabrics containing fibers having at least one energy absorbing and/or reflecting additive incorporated into the fibers. Inclusion of such fibers into the fabric increases the arc rating/fabric weight ratio of the fabric while still complying with all requisite thermal protective requirements.

Fabrics including a single-ply yarn are described herein along with fabrics that have low picks per inch or low courses per inch. The fabrics may comprise modacrylic fibers, meta-aramid fibers, anti-static fibers, and optionally para-aramid fibers, and the fabrics may comprise: about 10% or 20% to about 60% or 80% modacrylic fibers by weight of the fabric; about 20% or 40% to about 80% meta-aramid fibers by weight of the fabric; about 0.1% to about 2% anti-static fibers by weight of the fabric; and about 0% to about 10% para-aramid fibers by weight of the fabric.

[Problem] To provide: a carbon fiber precursor fiber that can efficiently produce a carbon fiber at a low cost which is excellent in mechanical strengths even without an infusibilization treatment; a carbon fiber; and a method for producing the carbon fiber.

[Solution] A carbon fiber precursor fiber of the present invention includes a polymer containing a constituent unit represented by General Formula (1) below:

##STR00001## where in the General Formula (1), X and Y each independently represent a divalent substituent, a single bond, or a structure forming a fused ring by sharing one side of two adjacent rings, and the divalent substituent is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —OSO—, —NH—, —CO—, —CH.sub.2—, and —CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2—.

Building materials and methods of making a building material are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving algae; and subjecting the algae to an oil extraction process, in order to produce vegetable oil. The method further includes producing synthetic fibers by processing the vegetable oil from the oil extraction process; and processing the synthetic fibers to produce a tension and pressure resistant material.

Provided are a novel polyamide polymer obtained by polymerizing monomers including aromatic diamine substituted with a nitrile group and an amide group and an aromatic dibasic acid compound, a spinning dope comprising the same, and a polyamide molded article. A fiber obtained using the novel polyamide polymer according to the present invention, particularly, a fiber obtained by spinning the polymer according to the present invention may have high strength and high elasticity, such that the fiber may be applied to various industrial fields.

An intimate blend of staple fibers, and a yarn, fabric, and article of clothing providing surprising arc performance and coloration capability, comprising a mixture of a first staple fiber made from a flame resistant polymer that retains at least 90 percent of its weight when heated to 425 degrees Celsius at a rate of 10 degrees per minute and comprises 0.5 to 20 weight percent discrete homogeneously dispersed carbon particles; and either (a) a second staple fiber from a flame resistant polymer being free of discrete carbon particles and having an L* lightness coordinate of 70 or greater and being capable of accepting a dye or coloration, or (b) a second staple fiber blend being free of discrete carbon particles and comprising at least one second staple fiber from a flame resistant polymer and having an L* lightness coordinate of 70 or greater and being capable of accepting a dye or coloration; the mixture having a total content of 0.5 to 3 weight percent discrete carbon particles.

To provide a carbon fiber precursor fiber that can efficiently produce a carbon fiber excellent in mechanical strength without an infusibilization treatment; a carbon fiber; and a method for producing the carbon fiber. The carbon fiber precursor fiber includes a polymer represented by General Formula (1) below: ##STR00001## where in the General Formula (1), Ar.sub.1 represents an aryl group expressed by any one of Structural Formulas (1) to (5) below, and Ar.sub.2 represents an aryl group expressed by Structural Formula (6) or (7) below: ##STR00002##

A composite electrode includes two or more types of fibers forming a fiber network, comprising at least a first type of fibers and a second type of fibers. The first type of fibers comprises a first polymer and a first type of particles. The second type of fibers comprises a second polymer and a second type of particles. The second polymer is same as or different from the first polymer. The second type of particles are same as or different from the first type of particles.

A yarn comprising a plurality of bicomponent filaments having a first region comprising a first polymer composition and a second region comprising a second polymer composition, each of the first and second regions being distinct in the bicomponent filaments; each bicomponent filament comprising 5 to 60 weight percent of the first polymer composition and 95 to 40 weight percent of the second polymer composition; wherein the first polymer composition comprises aramid polymer containing 0.5 to 20 weight percent discrete homogeneously dispersed carbon particles and the second polymer composition comprises modacrylic polymer being free of discrete carbon particles; the yarn having a total content of 0.1 to 5 weight percent discrete carbon particles.

Exemplary embodiments provide systems, devices and methods for the fabrication of three-dimensional polymeric fibers having micron, submicron and nanometer dimensions, as well as methods of use of the polymeric fibers.