Articles of apparel and methods of making articles of apparel comprising one or more continuous threads wound around anchor points. In some embodiments, the methods can comprise winding a continuous thread around a plurality of projections to form a thread layer comprising a plurality of thread lines and impregnating at least a portion of the continuous thread with a flowable liquid polymer. In some embodiments, the methods can comprise bonding a thread layer to a rigid plate such that one or more thread lines extend across an opening formed in the rigid plate.

Articles of apparel and methods of making articles of apparel comprising one or more continuous threads wound around anchor points. In some embodiments, the methods can comprise winding a continuous thread around a plurality of projections to form a thread layer comprising a plurality of thread lines and impregnating at least a portion of the continuous thread with a flowable liquid polymer. In some embodiments, the methods can comprise bonding a thread layer to a rigid plate such that one or more thread lines extend across an opening formed in the rigid plate.

Subject of the invention is a nonwoven, wherein the nonwoven fibers are organic polymer fibers, and wherein the nonwoven is consolidated with an aqueous binder, wherein the binder comprises protein and a polyphenolic compound from natural origin. Preferably, the nonwoven carrier is highly suitable for producing bituminous membranes. Subject of the invention are also uses, methods, bituminous membranes, binders and building materials, which are related to the nonwoven carrier.

Subject of the invention is a nonwoven, wherein the nonwoven fibers are organic polymer fibers, and wherein the nonwoven is consolidated with an aqueous binder, wherein the binder comprises protein and a polyphenolic compound from natural origin. Preferably, the nonwoven carrier is highly suitable for producing bituminous membranes. Subject of the invention are also uses, methods, bituminous membranes, binders and building materials, which are related to the nonwoven carrier.

An object of the present invention is to develop and provide a fiber-reinforced composite material having a bagworm silk thread(s) as a reinforcing fiber and being isotropic in terms of elastic modulus and strength. A fiber-reinforced composite material having nonwoven fabric(s) including bagworm silk thread as a reinforcing fiber is also provided.

A system for crosslinking a continuous mat of mineral and/or plant fibers, includes a crosslinking oven for the mat including at least one heating box, each heating box being connected to a combustion chamber. The crosslinking system further includes an injection system arranged outside the crosslinking oven and configured to inject hot air into at least one combustion chamber of a heating box, the hot air thus injected replacing a given fraction of hot air produced by a burner attached to said at least one combustion chamber, the fraction being between 20% and 100%.

A system for crosslinking a continuous mat of mineral and/or plant fibers, includes a crosslinking oven for the mat including at least one heating box, each heating box being connected to a combustion chamber. The crosslinking system further includes an injection system arranged outside the crosslinking oven and configured to inject hot air into at least one combustion chamber of a heating box, the hot air thus injected replacing a given fraction of hot air produced by a burner attached to said at least one combustion chamber, the fraction being between 20% and 100%.

The present invention provides modified urea formaldehyde (UF) resin binder compositions and mineral fiber mats having an emulsion polymer modifier comprising, in copolymerized form, from 5 to 25 wt. % of co polymerized carboxylic acid functional monomers. The emulsion polymers have a measured glass transition temperature (DSC) ranging from 40 C. to 70 C. and a large average particle size. Further, the emulsion polymers comprise less than 30% of the copolymerized acid in neutralized form and do not excessively thicken aqueous compositions containing them. The modified UF resin binder compositions enable good dilution stability in use and high tensile strength in products containing them.

The present invention provides modified urea formaldehyde (UF) resin binder compositions and mineral fiber mats having an emulsion polymer modifier comprising, in copolymerized form, from 5 to 25 wt. % of co polymerized carboxylic acid functional monomers. The emulsion polymers have a measured glass transition temperature (DSC) ranging from 40 C. to 70 C. and a large average particle size. Further, the emulsion polymers comprise less than 30% of the copolymerized acid in neutralized form and do not excessively thicken aqueous compositions containing them. The modified UF resin binder compositions enable good dilution stability in use and high tensile strength in products containing them.

Nonwoven fiber mats include primarily B-glass fibers, and have a thickness of about 10 to about 700 microns and a basis weight of about 1 to 70 g/m.sup.2. The mats are generally thermally stable at temperatures of up to 650 C., and are suitable for use as battery separators.