The invention relates to a process for preparing a cationic polymer thickener in particle form, said polymer consisting of a crosslinked water swellable cationic polymer comprising at least one cationic water soluble monomer and optionally at least one non-ionic water soluble monomer and/or at least one anionic water soluble monomer, wherein said polymer has a water extractable polymer content lower than 15 wt % as compared to the weight of the polymer, and wherein said polymer is obtained by gel polymerization of said monomers in the presence of from 500 ppm to 10.000 ppm of crosslinking agent relative to the weight of the monomers.

A composite containing a fabric and a polyampholyte hydrogel is provided. In the composite, the polyampholyte hydrogel is a hydrogel of a polymer containing randomly dispersed cationic and anionic repeat groups and at least a part of the fabric is coated with the polyampholyte hydrogel. A method of preparation of the composite involves steps (a) to (c): (a) providing a monomer mixture for preparation of a polyampholyte hydrogel; (b) immersing a fabric in the monomer mixture solution; and (c) polymerizing monomers in the monomer mixture solution to obtain a precursor of the composite.

A resin composition for preventing fibers from unraveling according to the present invention comprises ethyl acrylate; poly acrylic amide; poly urethane; methyl acrylate; formaldehyde; antistatic agent; quaternary ammonium; maleic anhydride, and surfactant.

The present invention relates to polymer latex composition for fibre binding comprising: a) 50 to 98 wt.-% based on the total weight of latex particles in the composition of first latex particles having a volume average particle size of 80 to 1000 nm, wherein the first latex particles optionally bear functional groups and if functional groups are present they are selected from functional groups consisting of acid functional groups and salts, amides or anhydrides thereof, silane functional groups, and combinations thereof; b) 2 to 50 wt.-% based on the total weight of latex particles in the composition of second latex particles having a volume average particle size of 5 to 70 nm bearing epoxy functional groups, to the use of that composition for fibre binding, to a fibre structure comprising the dried residue of that composition and to a method for increasing the strength of a fibre structure.

A conductive sheet comprising a conductive substrate layer and a hydrogel layer formed of a silicone hydrogel having a polymer comprising a repeat unit (A) derived from a monomer represented by Formula (I) as a gel skeleton. Provided is a conductive sheet which can maintain adhesiveness and flexibility even when used for a long period of time and can attain high biocompatibility.

##STR00001##

A water-repellent composition containing (1) a polymer having 2-100 wt %, with respect to the polymer, of a repeating unit derived from an amide group-containing monomer (a) represented by the following formula

##STR00001##

[wherein R.sup.1 is an organic moiety having an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group, R.sup.2 is a C.sub.7-30 hydrocarbon group, and R.sup.3 is a C.sub.1-5 hydrocarbon group], (2) a co-agent containing at least one co-agent compound selected from the group consisting of a blocked isocyanate compound, a melamine resin, a silicone polymer, a wax, an acetylene-based emulsifier, and a polyoxyalkylene group-containing emulsifier, and (3) a liquid media. Preferably, the water-repellent composition includes no fluoroalkyl group-containing monomer, and preferably no fluorine-containing monomer. Also disclosed is a method for producing the water-repellent composition, a method for treating a substrate with the water-repellent composition, and a method for producing a treated textile product which includes treating a textile product with the water-repellent composition.

A water-repellent composition containing (1) a polymer having 2-100 wt %, with respect to the polymer, of a repeating unit derived from an amide group-containing monomer (a) represented by the following formula

##STR00001##

[wherein R.sup.1 is an organic moiety having an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group, R.sup.2 is a C.sub.7-30 hydrocarbon group, and R.sup.3 is a C.sub.1-5 hydrocarbon group], (2) a co-agent containing at least one co-agent compound selected from the group consisting of a blocked isocyanate compound, a melamine resin, a silicone polymer, a wax, an acetylene-based emulsifier, and a polyoxyalkylene group-containing emulsifier, and (3) a liquid media. Preferably, the water-repellent composition includes no fluoroalkyl group-containing monomer, and preferably no fluorine-containing monomer. Also disclosed is a method for producing the water-repellent composition, a method for treating a substrate with the water-repellent composition, and a method for producing a treated textile product which includes treating a textile product with the water-repellent composition.

Aqueous binder compositions for binding fibers comprise a vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer of 60 to 94% by weight vinyl acetate, 5 to 30% by weight ethylene and 0 to 20% by weight of further ethylenically unsaturated comonomers copolymerizable therewith, polymerized in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol in aqueous medium, wherein the polymerization is carried out in the presence of a copolymer B) containing 20 to 50% by weight of monomer units derived from ethylenically unsaturated carboxamides, 20 to 50% by weight of monomer units derived from ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids, and 20 to 50% by weight of monomer units derived from ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids or anhydrides thereof.

Systems and methods for automated manufacturing of flexible goods and related technologies are disclosed. A workpiece can be processed to temporarily change its physical properties for facilitating handling and assembly operations. The system can include one or more automated handling apparatuses for transporting workpieces between workstations. Each workstation can perform a different stage of the manufacturing process. After the goods have been manufactured, the goods can be processed such that is returns to its original physical properties.

A permeable reactive barrier having two or more layers of a geotextile fabric inoculated with a bioremediation microbe is provided. The permeable reactive barrier further includes two or more layers of coarse-grained geological material separating the two or more layers of geotextile fabric such that any pair of adjacent layers of geotextile fabric is separated by a layer of coarse-grained geological material. The permeable reactive barrier includes a perforated metal casing surrounding and containing the layers of coarse-grained geological materials and geotextile fabric.