A method for hydroforming a composite precursor material includes forming a composite precursor material comprising an original spun bonded nonwoven web and a polymer film layer. The method also includes applying a plurality of pressurized liquid jets onto an outer surface of the original spun bonded nonwoven web while the composite precursor material passes over a forming structure to push and reorient a plurality of spun bonded fibers from a closely packed substantially horizontal orientation to a more loosely packed orientation with greater vertical spacing between the fibers to produce a hydroformed composite material comprising an expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than the original loft of the original spun bonded nonwoven web, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web.

An adhesion element with variable surface adhesive force comprises a substrate, a heating layer, a buffer layer and a nanostructure array. The heating layer is formed on one side of the substrate, wherein a temperature of the heating layer is changeable by a power supply. The buffer layer is formed on the heating layer. The nanostructure array is formed on the buffer layer, and the nanostructure array is made of a metallic glass material and comprises a plurality of nanostructures which are spaced apart from one another and together form an ordered array. The plurality of gas chambers are formed by the nanostructure array.

Co-cured urethane and vinyl ester, epoxy, or unsaturated polyester gel coats having improved toughness and flexibility compared with conventional polyester gel coats are disclosed. The gel coats, which have 10-50 wt. % urethane content, adhere well to structural layers and can be used in a traditional in-mold process. Co-cured elastomeric coatings comprising from 50 to 95 wt. % of a urethane component and an unsaturated polyester, epoxy, or vinyl ester are also disclosed. Unlike conventional urethane coatings, the elastomeric coatings adhere well to structural layers and can be used in a traditional in-mold process. Castings or structural layers comprising a reinforced thermoset of co-cured urethane and vinyl ester, epoxy, or unsaturated polyester components, including 10-95 wt. % of the urethane component, are also described. The invention includes in-mold processes for making laminates that utilize the gel coats, elastomeric coatings, and/or structural layers. The in-mold process gives flexible, durable, urethane-containing laminates having good interlayer adhesion.

A layered product (1) comprises a waterproof and water vapor permeable membrane (4) having a first side (41) and a second side (42), the membrane comprising a membrane material (40, 40a, 40b) which is waterproof and water vapor permeable, and thermoplastic material (3) which covers at least a portion of the first side (41) of the membrane (4) and is formed by at least one three-dimensional build layer (3-1 to 3-n) printed onto the first side (41) of the membrane such that the thermoplastic material (3) of the at least one three-dimensional build layer (3-1 to 3-n) is bonded to the membrane material (40, 40a, 40b) of the membrane. The layered product can be part of footwear, such as a bootie or upper material.

An adhesion element with variable surface adhesive force comprises a substrate, a heating layer, a buffer layer and a nanostructure array. The heating layer is formed on one side of the substrate, wherein a temperature of the heating layer is changeable by a power supply. The buffer layer is formed on the heating layer. The nanostructure array is formed on the buffer layer, and the nanostructure array is made of a metallic glass material and comprises a plurality of nanostructures which are spaced apart from one another and together form an ordered array. The plurality of gas chambers are formed by the nanostructure array.

A process for manufacturing an acoustic panel including at least one acoustically resistive layer, at least one cellular structure and a reflective wall. The process includes steps of depositing the parts of the acoustic panel made of thermosetting composite, depositing a film made of thermoplastic resin that is miscible with the thermosetting composite at the polymerization temperature of the thermosetting composite, polymerizing the parts of the acoustic panel made of thermosetting composite, and depositing and consolidating at least one layer made of thermoplastic composite against the film made of thermoplastic resin in order to form the reflective wall.

An expanded multilayer integral geogrid includes a plurality of oriented strands interconnected by partially oriented junctions having an array of openings therein that is produced from a coextruded or laminated multilayer polymer starting sheet. The integral geogrid has a multilayer construction, with at least one inner layer thereof having a structure that is expanded relative to at least one other layer of the multiple layers. By virtue of the expanded inner layer structure, the expanded multilayer integral geogrid provides for increased layer compressibility under load, resulting in enhanced material properties that provide performance benefits to use of the expanded multilayer integral geogrid in soil geosynthetic reinforcement, and economic benefits compared to a like integral geogrid without an expanded inner layer structure.

In one aspect, there is provided a fabric containing gas therein, the fabric comprising a weave between warps and wefts, wherein each warp includes an elongate array of a plurality of individual gas cells, wherein neighboring gas cells are physically coupled to each other via a connection, wherein the connection is monolithic with the gas cells, and each cell contains the gas therein.

A graphite material has a flexible part and can be utilized as a heat-conveying material in a narrow space. The graphite material, includes: at least one heat-conveying part; and a flexible part. A method for producing a graphite material, includes: (i) subjecting at least one film serving as a material to a heat treatment to obtain at least one carbonaceous film; (ii) providing a monolayer or multilayer structure including the at least one carbonaceous film; and (iii) applying heat and pressure to at least one part of the monolayer or multilayer structure in an inert atmosphere.

A composition for producing a sheet material with a cellular structure, the composition including the following components: (a) about 5 to about 25 weight % gelatine, (b) about 25 to 60 weight % filler material, (c) about 15 to about 40 weight % water, and (d) a cellular structure promoting agent.