Disclosed are keratin fibre cellular components, specifically keratin fibre cuticle and cortical cells, and their use as absorption and filtration media, and in thermal insulation materials. The keratin fibre cellular components may be oxidised. The keratin fibre cellular components have improved absorbency and filtration capacity compared to the source keratin fibres. The keratin fibre cellular components may be used in, for example, various products for passive absorption and active filtration of gas or liquid media.

In an embodiment, metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers comprising polymer chains with around 100 or more repeat units are synthesized. The metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers are exposed to a reactive gas at a temperature in excess of around 100° C. and at a pressure in the range from around 0.001 to around 100 atmospheres.

In an embodiment, metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers comprising polymer chains with around 100 or more repeat units are synthesized. The metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers are exposed to a reactive gas at a temperature in excess of around 100° C. and at a pressure in the range from around 0.001 to around 100 atmospheres.

An apparatus and process for disinfecting, and, optionally, sterilizing, fibers and non-woven materials produced from the fibers is disclosed, as well as processes for converting fibers into disinfected and/or sterilized non-woven materials. The process involves contacting the fibers and/or non-woven materials with high temperature steam, and then with UV light, which is preferably UV-C light, or another disinfectant process, such as ozone treatment. The process can also involve process steps such as blending fibers, applying fibers to an air card, subjecting the fibers to one or more carding steps, subjecting the carded fibers to non-woven process steps, and chemically treating the fibers and/or non-woven materials. The resulting non-woven materials can be used, for example, in personal care, baby care (including baby wipes), cosmetic applications, household cleaning, automotive, industrial cleaning applications, industrial uses, and the like.

A method and an apparatus for desizing and/or shrinking a textile fabric, the textile fabric having a length and a width, the method including moving, lengthwise, the fabric, and wetting the fabric within a first pool of liquid, the first pool of liquid including water; passing the fabric through a chamber, and in the chamber contacting the fabric with at least one heatable roller heated at a treatment temperature; soaking the fabric with a main pool of liquid, the main pool of liquid including water; and treating the fabric with ozone. The apparatus includes a first module for wetting the fabric, a second module with a heatable roller for heating the fabric, a third module for soaking the fabric, and fourth module for treating the fabric with ozone. The second module may optionally be integrated with the first module.

In an embodiment, metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers comprising polymer chains with around 100 or more repeat units are synthesized. The metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers are exposed to a reactive gas at a temperature in excess of around 100° C. and at a pressure in the range from around 0.001 to around 100 atmospheres.

In an embodiment, metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers comprising polymer chains with around 100 or more repeat units are synthesized. The metal-organic nanowires or nanofibers are exposed to a reactive gas at a temperature in excess of around 100° C. and at a pressure in the range from around 0.001 to around 100 atmospheres.

A method for the treatment of wool garments with ozone gas to control and inhibit their felting and shrinkage during their subsequent industrial finishing process and/or domestic washing care, and a wool garment treated with said method. The method includes wetting the garments and treating the garments inside the interior of a rotative tumbler for a time period of between 15 and 60 minutes at ambient temperature with ozone gas, the ozone gas being at a concentration in air of between 20 g ozone/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g ozone/Nm.sup.3, where the rotative tumbler which contains the garments is rotated at a speed of between 10 rounds/min and 25 rounds/min. The method is improved by adding treating the garments with enzymes.

A method for the treatment of wool garments with ozone gas to control and inhibit their felting and shrinkage during their subsequent industrial finishing process and/or domestic washing care, and a wool garment treated with said method. The method includes wetting the garments and treating the garments inside the interior of a rotative tumbler for a time period of between 15 and 60 minutes at ambient temperature with ozone gas, the ozone gas being at a concentration in air of between 20 g ozone/Nm.sup.3 and 150 g ozone/Nm.sup.3, where the rotative tumbler which contains the garments is rotated at a speed of between 10 rounds/min and 25 rounds/min. The method is improved by adding treating the garments with enzymes.

An ionic oxidation refreshing system for refreshing an odorized item, comprising an enclosure with an airflow system to contact the odorized item on all sides; an ionization system that produces a positively charged ionized ozone gas mixture inside of the enclosure, killing germs, including odor-causing bacteria, viruses, molds, and fungus, and provides the odorized item inside the enclosure with a net positive charge; a filter that neutralizes and filters out any toxic by-products; an electrostatic liquid atomization system that creates a fine mist of a quick-cleaning solution, and, in conjunction with the airflow system, causes solution droplets to penetrate deep into the odorized item and agitate a surface of the odorized item, ensuring the formula is evenly delivered onto the odorized item without over saturating any area.