An object of the present invention is to provide a fabric capable of easily and inexpensively forming a desired three-dimensional shape. The fabric according to the present invention contains an artificial protein fiber that contains a protein, in which the fabric has a surface including: a portion A that shrinks at a predetermined shrinkage rate when being brought into contact with water; and a portion B that has a shrinkage rate lower than that of the portion A when being brought into contact with water.

A water repellent fibrous substrate comprising a cured hydrophobic coating layer located on the fibrous substrate; and a hydrophobic plasma polymer coating layer located on the hydrophobic coating layer. The hydrophobic plasma polymer layer may be used to protect the cured hydrophobic coating layer on said fibrous substrate from abrasion or general wear.

A water repellent fibrous substrate comprising a cured hydrophobic coating layer located on the fibrous substrate; and a hydrophobic plasma polymer coating layer located on the hydrophobic coating layer. The hydrophobic plasma polymer layer may be used to protect the cured hydrophobic coating layer on said fibrous substrate from abrasion or general wear.

A textile fabric for preventing the penetration and water spreading in cables, having at least one layer, which is at least partially covered by an absorbent material and has pores, which pores can be at least partially closed under the effect of liquid due to absorbent material swelling, the absorbent material being bonded to the textile layer, at least in some areas, has a DIN ISO 9073-3 tensile strength in machine direction of >50 N/5 cm, and obtainable by a method involving: treating a layer containing pores with a mixture containing a polymerizable monomer or oligomer and a cross-linking agent and, as absorbent material precursor, a wetting agent and initiator, and polymerization of the monomer or oligomer under formation of a bonded connection between the absorbent material and the layer. The textile fabric can have a DIN EN ISO 9237 air permeability in dry state of greater than 200 dm.sup.3/(m.sup.2s).

A textile fabric for preventing the penetration and water spreading in cables, having at least one layer, which is at least partially covered by an absorbent material and has pores, which pores can be at least partially closed under the effect of liquid due to absorbent material swelling, the absorbent material being bonded to the textile layer, at least in some areas, has a DIN ISO 9073-3 tensile strength in machine direction of >50 N/5 cm, and obtainable by a method involving: treating a layer containing pores with a mixture containing a polymerizable monomer or oligomer and a cross-linking agent and, as absorbent material precursor, a wetting agent and initiator, and polymerization of the monomer or oligomer under formation of a bonded connection between the absorbent material and the layer. The textile fabric can have a DIN EN ISO 9237 air permeability in dry state of greater than 200 dm.sup.3/(m.sup.2s).

The present invention relates to a fiber treatment agent for electron beam fixing that contains an acrylic-modified organopolysiloxane (A) having two or more acrylic groups per molecule, as represented by the following general formula (I).

M.sub.aM.sup.A.sub.bD.sub.cD.sup.A.sub.dT.sub.e(I) (in the general formula (I), M=R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3SiO.sub.1/2, M.sup.A=R.sup.4R.sup.5R.sup.6SiO.sub.1/2, D=R.sup.7R.sup.8SiO.sub.2/2, D.sup.A=R.sup.9R.sup.10SiO.sub.2/2, T=R.sup.11SiO.sub.3/2, R.sup.1 to R.sup.11 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, R.sup.4 and R.sup.9 each independently represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group represented by the following general formula (II), a, to d each independently are 0 or a positive integer, e is an integer of 0 to 3, c+d is an integer of 10 to 1000, b+d is an integer of at least 2, and a+b is an integer equal to e+2.)

##STR00001## (in the general formula (II), n is an integer of 1 to 3.)

The present invention relates to a fiber treatment agent for electron beam fixing that contains an acrylic-modified organopolysiloxane (A) having two or more acrylic groups per molecule, as represented by the following general formula (I).

M.sub.aM.sup.A.sub.bD.sub.cD.sup.A.sub.dT.sub.e(I) (in the general formula (I), M=R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3SiO.sub.1/2, M.sup.A=R.sup.4R.sup.5R.sup.6SiO.sub.1/2, D=R.sup.7R.sup.8SiO.sub.2/2, D.sup.A=R.sup.9R.sup.10SiO.sub.2/2, T=R.sup.11SiO.sub.3/2, R.sup.1 to R.sup.11 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, R.sup.4 and R.sup.9 each independently represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group represented by the following general formula (II), a, to d each independently are 0 or a positive integer, e is an integer of 0 to 3, c+d is an integer of 10 to 1000, b+d is an integer of at least 2, and a+b is an integer equal to e+2.)

##STR00001## (in the general formula (II), n is an integer of 1 to 3.)

An article is provided. The article comprises a nonwoven substrate having a copolymer grafted thereto, and a dried coating adhered to the substrate. The copolymer comprises interpolymerized monomer units of a quaternary ammonium-containing ligand monomer, an amide monomer, and an oxy monomer. The coating comprises a plurality of test microorganisms. Optionally, the coating further comprises a water-soluble or water-dispersible polymeric binding agent. A process challenge device comprising a body having a hollow channel with said article fixed disposed therein is also provided. Methods of using the article or the process challenge device for determining the efficacy of a disinfection process are also provided.

The invention relates to a method for treating an elongated object using a plasma process. The method comprises the steps of providing an elongated object in a planar electrode structure, and applying potential differences between electrodes of an electrode structure to generate the plasma process. Further, the method comprises at least partially surrounding the elongated object by a unitary section of the guiding structure, the electrode structure being associated with the unitary section.

The invention relates to a method for treating an elongated object using a plasma process. The method comprises the steps of providing an elongated object in a planar electrode structure, and applying potential differences between electrodes of an electrode structure to generate the plasma process. Further, the method comprises at least partially surrounding the elongated object by a unitary section of the guiding structure, the electrode structure being associated with the unitary section.