A water permeability-imparting agent containing an alkylene oxide adduct (A) of a polyvalent active hydrogen compound represented by Formula (1):

R—[O(A.sup.1O).sub.m—(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.n—H].sub.1   (1)

wherein R represents a residue, after removal of all active hydrogen, of the polyvalent active hydrogen compound; A.sup.1O represents a C2 to C4 alkyleneoxy group; m represents an average addition mole number of A.sup.1O and is a number of 4 to 50; n represents an average addition mole number of CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O; and 1 represents a valence and is an integer of 3 to 6, and an average addition mole number ratio between A.sup.1O and CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O in Formula (1), n/m, is 0 to 0.5.

A water permeability-imparting agent containing an alkylene oxide adduct (A) of a polyvalent active hydrogen compound represented by Formula (1):

R—[O(A.sup.1O).sub.m—(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.n—H].sub.1   (1)

wherein R represents a residue, after removal of all active hydrogen, of the polyvalent active hydrogen compound; A.sup.1O represents a C2 to C4 alkyleneoxy group; m represents an average addition mole number of A.sup.1O and is a number of 4 to 50; n represents an average addition mole number of CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O; and 1 represents a valence and is an integer of 3 to 6, and an average addition mole number ratio between A.sup.1O and CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O in Formula (1), n/m, is 0 to 0.5.

A method is provided for coating a fibrous web, in particular a fibrous web comprising nanocellulose fibres. The method includes steps of applying a coating agent to a textured surface region of a textured substrate, applying a fibre furnish or a wet fibrous web onto the coated textured surface region of the textured substrate, optionally dewatering to provide a wet fibrous web, and drying said wet fibrous web such that at least a portion of said coating agent is transferred to said fibrous web. The method provides a coated fibrous web with improved barrier properties.

A method is provided for coating a fibrous web, in particular a fibrous web comprising nanocellulose fibres. The method includes steps of applying a coating agent to a textured surface region of a textured substrate, applying a fibre furnish or a wet fibrous web onto the coated textured surface region of the textured substrate, optionally dewatering to provide a wet fibrous web, and drying said wet fibrous web such that at least a portion of said coating agent is transferred to said fibrous web. The method provides a coated fibrous web with improved barrier properties.

An ambient humidity control article for controlling ambient humidity within 55%-68%. The article includes a substrate having a predetermined water absorbability, and a humidity control layer coated on the substrate and made up of a humidity control composition. The amount of the composition coated on per cubic centimeter of the substrate is 0.54-0.74 grams. The composition includes water and at least one of citrate, lactate and formate. The citrate is at least one of sodium citrate, potassium citrate and calcium citrate. The lactate is at least one of sodium lactate and potassium lactate. The formate is at least one of sodium formate and potassium formate. The weight percentage of each of the citrate, lactate and formate in the composition is 33.3%-84.2%. The water absorption amount of the substrate is not less than 0.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

An ambient humidity control article for controlling ambient humidity within 55%-68%. The article includes a substrate having a predetermined water absorbability, and a humidity control layer coated on the substrate and made up of a humidity control composition. The amount of the composition coated on per cubic centimeter of the substrate is 0.54-0.74 grams. The composition includes water and at least one of citrate, lactate and formate. The citrate is at least one of sodium citrate, potassium citrate and calcium citrate. The lactate is at least one of sodium lactate and potassium lactate. The formate is at least one of sodium formate and potassium formate. The weight percentage of each of the citrate, lactate and formate in the composition is 33.3%-84.2%. The water absorption amount of the substrate is not less than 0.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

A method for consolidating a fibrous material of plant-based fibers, such as cellulose fibers and/or poly-lactic acid fibers, the method including: applying to the fibrous material an aqueous solution including a cellulose derivative, and/or a salt thereof, and an acid, the aqueous solution having a pH within the range of from 3 to 7, optionally within the range of from 3 to 6, optionally within the range of from 3 to 4.5; and drying the bonded fibrous material, optionally at 100° C. or higher. Also, a fibrous material formed by the method, an aqueous binder solution including a cellulose derivative, and/or a salt thereof, and an acid, and a nonwoven material including airlaid plant-based fibers being consolidated by a bio-based binder in the presence of a carboxylic acid, the bio-based binder being a cellulose derivative, and/or a salt thereof.

A method for consolidating a fibrous material of plant-based fibers, such as cellulose fibers and/or poly-lactic acid fibers, the method including: applying to the fibrous material an aqueous solution including a cellulose derivative, and/or a salt thereof, and an acid, the aqueous solution having a pH within the range of from 3 to 7, optionally within the range of from 3 to 6, optionally within the range of from 3 to 4.5; and drying the bonded fibrous material, optionally at 100° C. or higher. Also, a fibrous material formed by the method, an aqueous binder solution including a cellulose derivative, and/or a salt thereof, and an acid, and a nonwoven material including airlaid plant-based fibers being consolidated by a bio-based binder in the presence of a carboxylic acid, the bio-based binder being a cellulose derivative, and/or a salt thereof.

This invention relates a compostable lid for sealing a beverage capsule or a beverage pad wherein the lid comprises a natural-fiber based support obtainable by: (i) providing a first fibrous base sheet comprising natural fiber material sensitive to a gelatinizing agent; (ii) treating the first base sheet with a gelatinizing agent to give a treated first fibrous base sheet comprising gelatinized material; (iii) providing a second fibrous base sheet; (iv) contacting the treated first fibrous base sheet and the second base sheet with each other; (v) causing at least partial migration of the gelatinized material from the treated first fibrous base sheet into the second fibrous base sheet to give a multilayer product; and (vi) neutralizing and/or washing the product thus obtained and then drying it.

[Problem] To provide a sizing-agent-coated carbon fiber bundle in which, even when the sizing-agent-coated carbon fiber bundle has superior handling properties, the sizing agent on the sizing-agent-coated carbon fiber bundle exhibits excellent solubility in water and the adhesion amount of remaining sizing agent is reduced. [Solution] A sizing-agent-coated carbon fiber bundle obtained by applying polyethylene glycol and/or a surfactant to a carbon fiber bundle as a sizing agent, wherein all of the following conditions (i)-(iii) are satisfied. (i) The adhesion amount of the sizing agent is 0.15-0.80 parts by mass (inclusive) per 100 mass parts of the sizing-agent-coated carbon fiber bundle 100. (ii) The dry F-F friction coefficient is 0.39 or less. (iii) The adhesion amount of the sizing agent after washing for 50 seconds under the conditions disclosed in the specification is 0.12 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the sizing-agent-coated carbon fiber bundle 100.