A process and system for making a laminated surface covering and the surface covering itself are described. The covering includes several layers bonded to each other. The system performs the process. One example of the process includes passing a first material across a first conveyor, passing a second material across a second conveyor, passing a bonding material across a third conveyor, contacting the first material and the second material to the bonding material, and heating at least one of the first material and the second material. The process also includes introducing the first material, the second material, and the bonding material into a pressure zone such that the bonding material is introduced between a bottom surface of the first material and a top surface of the second material. The process applies pressure to bond the first material and second material together via the bonding material to produce a laminated material.

A knitted component includes a first yarn and a second yarn, where the first yarn comprises a thermoplastic material having a melting temperature. The first yarn is used to create window openings of different shapes and sizes within the knitted component. This is achieved by using the first yarn to releasably secure adjacent edges of a window opening. The first yarn is then heated to release, at least in part, the first yarn from the edges of the window opening, allowing the edges to separate and thereby form a window opening.

Novel absorbable polymer blends are disclosed. The blends are useful for manufacturing medical devices having engineered degradation and breaking strength retention in vivo. The blends consist of a first absorbable polymeric component and a second absorbable polymeric component. The weight average molecular weight of the first polymeric component is higher than the weight average molecular weight of the second polymeric component. At least at least one of said components is at least partially end-capped by a carboxylic acid group. Further aspects are medical devices made therefrom.

A breathable item of clothing and a breathable insert for items of clothing, the item of clothing includes an external enclosure, the surface of which has at least one opening for evacuating perspiration in the vapor phase in an upper region of the item of clothing, a breathable external covering having a structure for the external retention of water, impurities or others, an internal layer to be directed toward the body of the user of the item of clothing, forming an interspace due to the spacing of the external covering from the body of the user, for the passage of perspiration in the vapor phase, produced by the body and channeled within the interspace, to the external covering. The external covering, structure for external retention of water, impurities or others, and the internal layer are placed in a breathable preassembled insert.

Legwear (100) includes a heat conducting and heat transferring region (2) containing a metallic yarn, and the heat conducting and heat transferring region (2) is provided so as to conduct heat from a high temperature area of a body (50) to a low temperature area thereof.

A thin coated supported glove (400), having a thin knitted liner (300), wherein the thin knitted liner has a plurality of finger components, a thumb component (402), a backhand component (420), and a palm component. The thin knitted liner comprises a covered yarn having a first yarn (100) and a second yarn (200), wherein the first yarn (102) is a core yarn that is 20 denier or less, and a second yarn, wherein the second yarn (104) is at least one of an intermingled yarn or a first wrapping yarn surrounding the core yarn, wherein the second yarn is 30 denier or less; and a thin polymeric coating adhered to the thin knitted liner.

Described are moisture responsive materials. The materials may have tunable moisture permeability. A material may be a substrate that includes apertures. The apertures are configured to open or close depending on the humidity environment to which the substrate is exposed. The apertures have at least two regions of polymer gel, which may have different amounts of crosslinking. The apertures may be formed from at least two polymer gels having at least two different crosslinker loadings. The materials may be used in articles of manufacture. For example, the materials are used in wearable articles, outdoor articles, medical articles, packaging articles, building articles, filtration/separation articles, and the like.

A yarn or thread may include a plurality of substantially aligned filaments, with at least ninety-five percent of a material of the filaments being a thermoplastic polymer material. Various woven textiles and knitted textiles may be formed from the yarn or thread. The woven textiles or knitted textiles may be thermal bonded to other elements to form seams. A strand that is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material may extend through the seam, and the strand may be thermal bonded at the seam. The woven textiles or knitted textiles may be shaped or molded, incorporated into products, and recycled to form other products.

A salt composition includes at least one ammonium carboxylate salt obtained from: (a) at least one aromatic compound comprising 2 anhydride functional groups and/or its carboxylic acid and/or ester derivatives; and (b) one or more aliphatic diamines in which said aliphatic diamine or diamines are chosen from the diamines of formula (I) NH.sub.2RNH.sub.2 with R being a saturated aliphatic divalent hydrocarbon radical, the two amine functional groups of which are separated by 4 to 6 carbon atoms and 1 or 2 hydrogen atoms of the divalent radical of which are replaced by 1 or 2 methyl and/or ethyl groups; and optionally the diamines of formula (II) NH.sub.2RNH.sub.2 with R being a saturated or unsaturated and aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or arylaliphatic divalent hydrocarbon radical, which optionally comprises heteroatoms; and at least one chain-limiting compound chosen from monoamines, monoacids or diacids in the , positions.

A functionalized microporous, mesoporous, or nanoporous membrane, material, textile, composite, laminate, or the like, and/or a method of making or using such functionalized membranes. The functionalized porous membrane may be a functionalized microporous, mesoporous, or nanoporous membrane that has a functional molecule attached, such as a functional polymer, to the surface and/or internal fibrillar structure of the membrane.