A surface-mineralized substrate having an enhanced functional capability, for example, enhanced antibacterial activity, a method of making the surface-mineralized substrate, and an article of manufacture, for example, packaging for fresh produce, comprising or formed from or of the surface-mineralized substrate.

A water-repellent textile is produce by applying to a textile a solution of Al.sub.13 nanoclusters or aluminum nitrate or hydrates of aluminum nitrate in a solvent to produce a wetted textile; and photo-annealing the wetted textile with ultraviolet light having a wavelength in the range of 180 nm to 260 nm to produce an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 coating on fibers of the textile. The textile may be, for example, cotton, polyester, wool, nylon, chiffon, nubuck, leather, burlap, silk, denim, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the solvent is a solubilizing organic solvent, pure water, or a miscible organic/water solvent mixture.

A process for preparing surface-modified carbon, comprising adding carbon material to a solution of a reaction product of primary aromatic amine and excess molar amount of nitrite source, and recovering surface-modified carbon bearing redox-active sites. Surface-modified carbon material, electrodes and capacitors based thereon are also provided.

Expanded, nanofiber structures are provided as well as methods of use thereof and methods of making.

A manufacturing method of a porous carbon composite material includes the following steps. A polymer template is provided, the polymer template includes a polymer compound, and the polymer template has a plurality of pores. A coating step is performed, wherein a metal compound is coated on the polymer template to form a transition intermediate. A heating step is performed, wherein the transition intermediate is heated to transform the polymer template to a carbon template and transform the metal compound to a coating layer, and a porous carbon composite material is obtained.

A manufacturing method of a porous carbon composite material includes the following steps. A polymer template is provided, the polymer template includes a polymer compound, and the polymer template has a plurality of pores. A coating step is performed, wherein a metal compound is coated on the polymer template to form a transition intermediate. A heating step is performed, wherein the transition intermediate is heated to transform the polymer template to a carbon template and transform the metal compound to a coating layer, and a porous carbon composite material is obtained.

The present invention relates to a method of obtaining a solid material based on a polymer having its cellobiose units exhibiting the following characteristics: at least some of the cellobiose units have at least one carboxylic acid function attached to the C.sub.6 carbon, the other C.sub.6 carbons having a primary alcohol function attached thereto; and at least some of the cellobiose units have at least one of the two rings open between the C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 carbons, the other C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 carbons forming a ring and having an alcohol function attached thereto. Such a material, advantageously a textile, may be used as a compress.

The present invention relates to a method of obtaining a solid material based on a polymer having its cellobiose units exhibiting the following characteristics: at least some of the cellobiose units have at least one carboxylic acid function attached to the C.sub.6 carbon, the other C.sub.6 carbons having a primary alcohol function attached thereto; and at least some of the cellobiose units have at least one of the two rings open between the C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 carbons, the other C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 carbons forming a ring and having an alcohol function attached thereto. Such a material, advantageously a textile, may be used as a compress.

Dimensionally-stable fibrous structures including ceramic-coated melt-blown nonwoven fibers made of a flame-retarding polymer and processes for producing such fire-resistant nonwoven fibrous structures. The melt-blown fibers include poly(phenylene sulfide) in an amount sufficient for the nonwoven fibrous structures to pass one or more fire-resistance test, e.g. UL 94 V0, FAR 25.853 (a), FAR 25.856 (a), and CA Title 19, without any halogenated flame-retardant additive, and have a ceramic coating. The melt-blown fibers are subjected to a controlled in-flight heat treatment at a temperature below a melting temperature of the poly(phenylene sulfide) immediately upon exiting from at least one orifice of a melt-blowing die, in order to impart dimensional stability to the fibers. The nonwoven fibrous structures including the in-flight heat-treated melt-blown fibers exhibit a Shrinkage less than a Shrinkage measured on a nonwoven fibrous structure including only fibers not subjected to the controlled in-flight heat treatment operation, generally less than 15%.

Disclosed is a multipurpose potentiator composition comprising: sodium carbonate monohydrate, sodium carbonate anhydrous, potassium nitrate, sodium chloride and water such that the potentiating composition is applied to alter physical or chemical properties or both of a substance on which the potentiating composition is applied. Also provided is a container for holding the composition.