A carbon-carbon composite preform including a plurality of layers including carbon fibers or carbon-precursor fibers, the layers include a first exterior layer defining a first major surface, a second exterior layer defining a second major surface, and at least one interior layer disposed between the first exterior layer and the second exterior layer, the at least one interior layer having a peripheral region that forms a portion of an outer surface of the preform. The preform includes needled fibers, where at least some needled fibers extend through two or more layers. The preform has an exterior region and a core region, where the exterior region includes at least the peripheral region of at least one interior layer. The needled fibers define a first needled fiber number density (NFND) in the exterior region and a second greater NFND in at least a portion of the core region.

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

Methods for forming a hydroentangled scrim sheet are provided. The method can include hydroentangling a scrim sheet having a first layer of staple fibers on a first side of the scrim sheet and a second layer of staple fibers on a second side of the scrim sheet to form a hydroentangled scrim sheet; calendaring the hydroentangled scrim sheet to form a calendared hydroentangled scrim sheet; impregnating the hydroentangled scrim sheet with a saturant composition; drying the saturant composition impregnated into the calendared hydroentangled scrim sheet; applying a bond coat onto a surface of the calendared hydroentangled scrim sheet; and applying a top coat onto the bond coat. The top coat is, in one embodiment, configured to provide a surface for further coatings thereon.

Methods for forming a hydroentangled scrim sheet are provided. The method can include hydroentangling a scrim sheet having a first layer of staple fibers on a first side of the scrim sheet and a second layer of staple fibers on a second side of the scrim sheet to form a hydroentangled scrim sheet; calendaring the hydroentangled scrim sheet to form a calendared hydroentangled scrim sheet; impregnating the hydroentangled scrim sheet with a saturant composition; drying the saturant composition impregnated into the calendared hydroentangled scrim sheet; applying a bond coat onto a surface of the calendared hydroentangled scrim sheet; and applying a top coat onto the bond coat. The top coat is, in one embodiment, configured to provide a surface for further coatings thereon.

A stitchbonded washable towel made from a stitchbonded fabric having a cellulosic nonwoven sheet of cellulosic fibers, and an integrated nonwoven sheet of an outer sublayer of wood pulp fibers, and an inner layer of textile fibers substantially entangled with the wood pulp fibers, and confronting the cellulosic nonwoven sheet of cellulosic fibers. The stitchbonded fabric as uses a pattern of stitching yarns that fixes the cellulosic nonwoven sheet to the integrated nonwoven sheet. A post-treatment of the stitchbonded fabric in a heated aqueous solution containing soil release polymer gathers the fabric into the towel, and provides stain and soil re-deposition resistance.

A self-wrapping sleeve and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes an elongate multilayered tubular wall having opposite edges extending along a longitudinal axis of the sleeve between opposite ends of the sleeve. The opposite edges are biased into a self-wrapping configuration about the longitudinal axis to define an internal cavity bounded by the tubular wall. The tubular wall includes a non-woven layer of intertwined fibers and a textile layer of interlaced filaments, wherein the non-woven layer is fixed to the textile layer via needled fibers of the non-woven layer being entangled with filaments of the textile layer.

A hydroentangled nonwoven sheet material produced by a process including: 0) optionally providing a polymer web on a carrier; a) providing an aqueous suspension containing short fibers and a surfactant; b) depositing the aqueous suspension on the carrier; c) removing aqueous residue of the aqueous suspension deposited in step b) to form a fibrous web; b) depositing aqueous suspension on a surface of the fibrous web formed in step c); c) removing aqueous residue of the aqueous suspension deposited in step b) to form a combined fibrous web; d) hydroentangling the combined fibrous web; and optionally e) drying the hydroentangled web, and/or f) further processing and finalizing the dried, hydroentangled web the web to produce the nonwoven end material. The hydroentangled non-woven sheet material obtainable by this process has a low degree of surface irregularity and contains low residues of surfactants.

A hydroentangled nonwoven sheet material produced by a process including: 0) optionally providing a polymer web on a carrier; a) providing an aqueous suspension containing short fibers and a surfactant; b) depositing the aqueous suspension on the carrier; c) removing aqueous residue of the aqueous suspension deposited in step b) to form a fibrous web; b) depositing aqueous suspension on a surface of the fibrous web formed in step c); c) removing aqueous residue of the aqueous suspension deposited in step b) to form a combined fibrous web; d) hydroentangling the combined fibrous web; and optionally e) drying the hydroentangled web, and/or f) further processing and finalizing the dried, hydroentangled web the web to produce the nonwoven end material. The hydroentangled non-woven sheet material obtainable by this process has a low degree of surface irregularity and contains low residues of surfactants.

A composite panel with a thermosetting cellular matrix, a method for manufacturing said panel, and a structure for covering a wall that is formed from an assembly of such panels. The structure provides the wall with heat insulation against cryogenic fluids and/or protection against fire or flames and/or sealing against the fluids. A panel having a thermosetting cellular matrix, includes at least one substrate that includes short, non-woven basalt fibers and is impregnated by the matrix. The panel is such that the at least one substrate includes a plurality of non-woven layers stacked to a stacking thickness. The non-woven layers each include the short basalt fibers and are needled through the thickness without using thermoplastic fibers.