A method of growing plants in a coherent growth substrate product is provided and includes: providing at least one coherent growth substrate product comprising man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition; positioning one or more seeds, seedlings, cuttings or plants in contact with the growth substrate product; and irrigating the growth substrate product. The aqueous binder composition prior to curing includes a component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins, a component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers, and a component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

A process for manufacturing a mat of mineral fibers, wherein fibers are formed and a binding compound resulting from the mixture of a binder composition with dilution water is applied on the fibers, the fibers impregnated with the binding compound are collected on a perforated receiving device equipped with a fiber-receiving surface and, below the surface, at least one suction duct, and the mat is heat treated. The process includes determining an optimal amount of dilution water as a function of the humidity of the air in the fiberizing station, of the humidity of the intake air and of the intake air flow rate in the at least one suction duct, and of the desired amount of water in the mat at the outlet of the receiving chamber, and adjusting the amount of dilution water as a function of the optimal amount thus determined.

A nonwoven fabric and a method of making thereof. The nonwoven fabric includes a plurality of randomly-oriented fibers, the plurality of randomly-oriented fibers including: at least 60 wt % of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers; and from to less than 40 wt % of reinforcing fibers having an outer surface comprised of a (co)polymer with a melting temperature of from 100° C. to 450° C.; and a fluoropolymer binder on the plurality of randomly-oriented fibers; wherein the plurality of randomly-oriented fibers is bonded together to form the nonwoven fabric, optionally wherein the nonwoven fabric has a thickness of one millimeter or less.

The invention relates to a method for producing a composite component, comprising the steps: i) applying an aqueous composition, which contains a polychloroprene dispersion and/or a polyurethane dispersion, to at least one nonwoven; ii) coagulating the aqueous composition on the nonwoven by bringing the aqueous composition into contact with a coagulant and/or heating to 80 to 220° C., in order to form a semifinished product; and iii) optionally attaching a decoration, which comprises an adhesive film; and iv) thereafter, shaping the semifinished product from step ii) or iii) by pressing and/or heating to 30 to 220° C., in order to obtain the composite component, characterized in that the aqueous composition contains at least one thickener. The invention further relates to the use of the composite component of the invention as part of an interior trim, of a sun visor, of a support part, of a 2- or 3-dimensional sound-proofing panel, of a 3D-printed component, of a padding material, of a collision protection means, of a seat shell and of an impact isolation means.

A nonwoven fabric layered body includes a first nonwoven fabric layer including a crimped fiber (A), which is a fiber made of a thermoplastic polymer and which has an average crimp diameter of 800 μm or less; and a hydrophilic agent.

The present invention relates to preparation of heterogeneous mixtures of (carboxylated) vinyl ester/ethylene dispersions, such as vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) dispersions with polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet strength resins having a reduced amount of halogenated organic compounds, such as less than 1500 ppm. The dispersion offers extremely low free and bound formaldehyde levels combined with wet tensile strength for use in non-woven textile and paper applications.

A nonwoven fabric comprising a fiber web in an amount of 85-99.99 wt. %, and a cured natural binder in an amount of 0.01-15 wt. %; wherein the fiber web comprises natural fibers and synthetic fibers; wherein natural fibers are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount of 70-90 wt. %; wherein synthetic fibers are present in the nonwoven fabric in an amount of from 10-30 wt. %; wherein the cured natural binder comprises modified cellulose and a strengthening agent in a weight ratio of strengthening agent to modified cellulose of 1:2 to 1:1,000, wherein modified cellulose comprises CMC and/or sodium CMC, wherein the strengthening agent comprises a crosslinking agent and/or a wet strength agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a carboxylic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, and wherein the wet strength agent comprises a reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of halide, chloride, fluoride, hydroxyl, and combinations thereof.

The present invention relates to preparation of heterogeneous mixtures of (carboxylated) vinyl ester/ethylene dispersions, such as vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) dispersions with polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet strength resins having a reduced amount of halogenated organic compounds, such as less than 1500 ppm. The dispersion offers extremely low free and bound formaldehyde levels combined with wet tensile strength for use in non-woven textile and paper applications.

A method of growing plants in a coherent growth substrate product is provided and includes: providing at least one coherent growth substrate product comprising man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition; positioning one or more seeds, seedlings, cuttings or plants in contact with the growth substrate product; and irrigating the growth substrate product. The aqueous binder composition prior to curing includes a component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins, a component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers, and a component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

The present invention relates to preparation of heterogeneous mixtures of (carboxylated) vinyl ester/ethylene dispersions, such as vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) dispersions with polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet strength resins having a reduced amount of halogenated organic compounds, such as less than 1500 ppm. The dispersion offers extremely low free and bound formaldehyde levels combined with wet tensile strength for use in non-woven textile and paper applications.