To provide surface-modified fibers and reinforcing fibers that are capable of enhancing the adhesiveness to rubber, without the use of resorcinol and formaldehyde, and a molded article using the same. Surface-modified fibers include fibers, and a surface-modifying layer covering at least a part of a surface of the fibers, and have a solid surface zeta potential on a surface of the surface-modifying layer of −20.0 to 30.0 mV.

An object is to provide a cloth containing an organic fiber, which is excellent in the oil repellency, dirt-removal property by washing and water-absorbing property, and a textile product produced using the cloth. A means for solution is attaching a specific fluorine-containing polymer to a cloth containing an organic fiber, with a quaternary ammonium salt if desired, and thus making the water-absorbing property in accordance with JIS L1018A method (the instillation method) 60 seconds or less and the oil repellency in accordance with AATCC118-1992 grade 4 or higher.

There is provided a method of treating textile fibres including: a) providing a polymeric precursor including a diallyl amide cationic compound and a corresponding counter ion; b) either (i) coating the textile fibres with the polymeric precursor and polymerising the polymeric precursor to form a polymeric coating, or (ii) polymerising the polymeric precursor and contacting the polymerised polymeric precursor with the textile fibres to form a polymeric coating on the textile fibres. There is also provided a composite structure including a polymeric coating formed from the polymeric precursors of the present invention.

According to the invention there is provided a composite article including: a textile layer having a first and a second face, each of the first and second faces having a polymeric coating thereon; a first polymeric layer adhered to the polymeric coating on the first face of the textile layer; and a second polymeric layer adhered to the polymeric coating on the second face of the textile layer; in which the polymeric coatings on the first and second faces of the textile layer are each formed by polymerizing a polymeric precursor which includes a group of sub-formula (I) where R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently selected from (CR.sup.7R.sup.8)n, or a group CR.sup.9R.sup.10, CR.sup.7R.sup.8CR.sup.9R.sup.10 or CR.sup.9R.sup.10CR.sup.7R.sup.8 where n is 0, 1 or 2, R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 are independently selected from hydrogen, halo or hydrocarbyl, and either One of R.sup.9 or R.sup.10 is hydrogen and the other is an electron withdrawing group, or R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 together form an electron withdrawing group, and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from CH or CR.sup.11 where R.sup.11 is an electron withdrawing group, the dotted lines indicate the presence or absence of a bond, X.sup.1 is a group CX.sup.2X.sup.3 where the dotted line bond to which it is attached is absent and a group CX.sup.2 where the dotted line bond to which it is attached is present, Y.sup.1 is a group CY.sup.2Y.sup.3 where the dotted line bond to which it is attached is absent and a group CY.sup.2 where the dotted line bond to which it is attached is present, and X.sup.2, X.sup.3, Y.sup.2 and Y.sup.3 are independently selected from hydrogen, fluorine or other substituents, R.sup.1 is selected from hydrogen, halo, nitro, hydrocarbyl, optionally substituted or interposed with functional groups, or formula (II), and R.sup.13 is C(0) or S(0).sub.2.

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.

Provided are a composite material that adequately obtains the effect of carbon nanotubes, a prepreg in which the composite material is used, a carbon-fiber-reinforced molded article having greater resistance to the progression of the interlayer peeling crack, and a method for manufacturing the composite material. A composite material includes a carbon fiber bundle in which a plurality of continuous carbon fibers are arranged, carbon nanotubes adhering to respective surfaces of the carbon fibers, and a plurality of fixing resin parts partly fixing the carbon nanotubes on the surfaces of the carbon fibers, where the fixing resin parts cover 7% or more and 30% or less of the surfaces of the carbon fibers to which the carbon nanotubes adhere.

Carbon fibre precursors for use in the formation of carbon fibre materials. The carbon fibre precursors comprise fibres of polymeric material which have a coating layer thereon, the coating layer comprising a material susceptible to dielectric heating, for example carbon nanotubes. The carbon fibre precursors may be suitable for forming into carbon fibres using a dielectric heating step, despite the fibres of polymeric material not being susceptible to dielectric heating, without adversely affecting the structure and physical properties of the main body of the carbon fibre so formed. A method of preparing a carbon fibre precursor for a carbon fibre formation process and a method forming a carbon fibre are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is an electrode material comprising: a non-woven silk-fibroin mesh substrate; glycerol; and a conductive polymeric material, wherein 40-65% of the silk-fibroin in the non-woven mesh substrate is in the form of β-sheets, and the electrode material is stretchable. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming said electrode material.

This document discloses an electrically conductive fiber coated with polythiophene and a carbon material. Also disclosed is an article of manufacture incorporating the conductive fiber.