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 fibres and a surfactant; h) depositing the aqueous suspension on the carrier; c) removing aqueous residue of the aqueous suspension deposited in step h) 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 finalising 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 fibres and a surfactant; h) depositing the aqueous suspension on the carrier; c) removing aqueous residue of the aqueous suspension deposited in step h) 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 finalising 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 protective member to be wrapped around an electric wire, in which the protective member has a reduced thickness and exerts, at the same time, both functions of protecting and noise-insulating the electric wire. The protective member is used while being wrapped around the electric wire. The protective member includes: a first sheet material made of a nonwoven fabric; and a second sheet material that is made of a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric in which fibers longer than fibers of the nonwoven fabric of the first sheet material are joined to each other, or a nonwoven fabric that includes a larger number of joining points at which fibers are intertwined than that of the nonwoven fabric of the first sheet material, the second sheet material being laid on the first sheet material to form one main surface of the protective member.

A protective member to be wrapped around an electric wire, in which the protective member has a reduced thickness and exerts, at the same time, both functions of protecting and noise-insulating the electric wire. The protective member is used while being wrapped around the electric wire. The protective member includes: a first sheet material made of a nonwoven fabric; and a second sheet material that is made of a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric in which fibers longer than fibers of the nonwoven fabric of the first sheet material are joined to each other, or a nonwoven fabric that includes a larger number of joining points at which fibers are intertwined than that of the nonwoven fabric of the first sheet material, the second sheet material being laid on the first sheet material to form one main surface of the protective member.

A process for making insulating fabric that includes mechanically orienting wool fibers into a batting capable of being used for insulation, and tacking the batting to a scrim with a loom via needles coupled to a needle board of the loom. Each of the needles includes a body having a pointed end and barbed edges, thereby enabling engagement with the batting when stroking in a first direction, and substantial disengagement with the batting when stroking in a second direction, wherein the tacking is performed primarily without the use of an adhesive.

A process for making insulating fabric that includes mechanically orienting wool fibers into a batting capable of being used for insulation, and tacking the batting to a scrim with a loom via needles coupled to a needle board of the loom. Each of the needles includes a body having a pointed end and barbed edges, thereby enabling engagement with the batting when stroking in a first direction, and substantial disengagement with the batting when stroking in a second direction, wherein the tacking is performed primarily without the use of an adhesive.

Embodiments of the present invention describe secured fiber-reinforced aerogels and laminate structures formed therefrom. In one embodiment a laminate comprises at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer adjacent to at least one layer of fiber containing material wherein fibers from said at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of said at least one fiber-containing material. In another embodiment a laminate comprises at least two adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layers wherein fibers from at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of an adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layer.

Embodiments of the present invention describe secured fiber-reinforced aerogels and laminate structures formed therefrom. In one embodiment a laminate comprises at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer adjacent to at least one layer of fiber containing material wherein fibers from said at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of said at least one fiber-containing material. In another embodiment a laminate comprises at least two adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layers wherein fibers from at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of an adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layer.

A planar composite material comprises an UD fiber layer A made of discrete reinforcing fiber rovings and a fiber nonwoven layer B made of a thermoplastic nonwoven which may contain reinforcing fibers, wherein the layers A and B are needled to each other.

A planar composite material comprises an UD fiber layer A made of discrete reinforcing fiber rovings and a fiber nonwoven layer B made of a thermoplastic nonwoven which may contain reinforcing fibers, wherein the layers A and B are needled to each other.