Disclosed is an elastic fiber treatment agent that contains a polyether-modified silicone, a smoothing agent other than the polyether-modified silicone, and water. The polyether-modified silicone is contained in the elastic fiber treatment agent at a content of 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. The polyether-modified silicone has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of 1 or more and 7 or less.

Disclosed is an elastic fiber treatment agent that contains a polyether-modified silicone, a smoothing agent other than the polyether-modified silicone, and water. The polyether-modified silicone is contained in the elastic fiber treatment agent at a content of 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. The polyether-modified silicone has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of 1 or more and 7 or less.

The present invention is a method for producing carbon fiber, characterized by using a carbon-fiber precursor produced from a polymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution and by applying only a small amount of a smoothing agent, composed of a specific component, to the carbon fiber surface immediately before winding of carbon fiber. According to the present invention, it is possible to stably produce carbon fiber, which has excellent dispersibility and do not deteriorate in quality and quality even when a sizing agent is not attached to the carbon fiber surface. In addition, the produced carbon fiber is suitable for use in a composite material which is produced by high-temperature processing using a thermoplastic resin.

One or more aspects of the present disclosure are directed to aqueous solutions that can be used to make substrates such as an article that can inhibit or limit one or more sources of odor. In an aspect, the aqueous solution can include one or more components, where one of the components is an inhibiting agent that can function to inhibit or limit the sources of odor in an article such as a textile.

An inorganic fiber sizing agent is disclosed that contains a vinyl ester compound, a surfactant, and a fatty acid ester. Also disclosed is an inorganic fiber having the inorganic fiber sizing agent attached thereto.

Disclosed is a synthetic fiber treatment agent containing a phenol amine compound and a nonionic surfactant. The phenol amine compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of a compound formed from a phenol derivative, formaldehyde, and a polyamine compound and a compound obtained by reacting a boron-containing compound with a compound formed from a phenol derivative, formaldehyde, and a polyamine compound. The phenol derivative is a phenol in which a hydrocarbon group with a number average molecular weight of not less than 100 and not more than 2000 is modified.

The present invention addresses the problem of improving friction characteristics, when wet, of fibers to which a treatment agent for short fibers is adhered, and improving the heat resistance of the treatment agent for short fibers. This treatment agent for short fibers does not substantially include a phosphate compound, but does contain the fatty acid (A) below and a non-ionic surfactant. The fatty acid (A) is at least one fatty acid selected from C1-6 fatty acids, C1-6 hydroxy fatty acids, and salts of the aforementioned fatty acids.

Disclosed is an elastic fiber treatment agent that contains a smoothing agent and an alkyl phosphate ester compound. The alkyl phosphate ester compound contains specific phosphate ester Q1 and at least one or more selected from specific phosphate esters Q2 and Q3. In a P nucleus NMR measurement of the alkyl phosphate ester compound upon an alkali over-neutralization pretreatment, a P nucleus NMR integral ratio attributed to the phosphate ester Q1 is 15% to 60% if the sum of P nucleus NMR integral ratios attributed to the phosphate esters Q1 to Q3 and phosphoric acid and its salt is taken as 100%.

The invention relates to an aqueous impregnation bath for reinforcement fibres for manufacturing prepregs having a thermoplastic matrix, resulting in highly satisfactory consolidation, in terms of residual porosity, of the composite material parts manufactured using the prepregs. The impregnation bath includes a least one thermoplastic polymer, a surfactant and water, and is characterised in that the surfactant is an ethoxylated stearyl alcohol of formula: HO(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.nCH.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.16CH.sub.3 wherein n is 100. The invention also relates to a method for impregnating reinforcement fibres using the impregnation bath, to a method for manufacturing a prepreg having a thermoplastic matrix using the impregnation method, and to a method for manufacturing a part made of a composite material having a thermoplastic matrix using the method for manufacturing a prepreg. The invention is useful in any field for manufacturing parts made of composite materials and, specifically, in the aeronautical, space, rail, shipping and automotive industries.

The invention relates to an aqueous impregnation bath for reinforcement fibres for manufacturing prepregs having a thermoplastic matrix, resulting in highly satisfactory consolidation, in terms of residual porosity, of the composite material parts manufactured using the prepregs. The impregnation bath includes a least one thermoplastic polymer, a surfactant and water, and is characterised in that the surfactant is an ethoxylated stearyl alcohol of formula: HO(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.nCH.sub.2(CH.sub.2).sub.16CH.sub.3 wherein n is 100. The invention also relates to a method for impregnating reinforcement fibres using the impregnation bath, to a method for manufacturing a prepreg having a thermoplastic matrix using the impregnation method, and to a method for manufacturing a part made of a composite material having a thermoplastic matrix using the method for manufacturing a prepreg. The invention is useful in any field for manufacturing parts made of composite materials and, specifically, in the aeronautical, space, rail, shipping and automotive industries.