A urethane compound (A) including units formed from (A1) an isocyanate and (A2) a long-chain alcohol represented by the formula HO—Z(Y—R).sub.n [wherein the R moieties are each independently —O—, —NH—, —O—C(═O)—, —NH—C(═O)—, —C(═O)—NH—, —O—C(═O)—NH—, —NH—C(═O)—O—, —NH—C(═O)—NH—, —NH—S(═O).sub.2—, —S(═O).sub.2—NH—, —NH—(CH.sub.2).sub.m—NH—S(═O).sub.2—, —NH—(CH.sub.2).sub.m—S(═O).sub.2—NH—, etc. (m is an integer of 1-5), Z is a direct bond or a di- or trivalent hydrocarbon group having 1-5 carbon atoms, and n is 1 or 2]. Also disclosed is a urethane mixture containing the urethane compound (A), and at least one selected from the polyisocyanate (A1), the long-chain alcohol (A2), a blocking agent (A3) and an alcohol compound (A4); an aqueous urethane composition; a method for producing the aqueous urethane composition; a method of treating a substrate; and a treated textile product.

A method of applying fragrance to a fabric substrate includes bleaching a cotton fabric substrate, mercerizing the cotton fabric substrate, and preparing the cotton fabric substrate for dyeing. The method includes making a foam containing a bonding material made of an acrylic polymer or a carboxylated, heat-reactive, styrene-acrylic copolymer, a surfactant, water, and microcapsules of a fragrant material in a ratio of about 40% bonding material, about 2% surfactant, about 45% water, and about 13% microcapsules of a fragrant material. The cotton fabric substrate is passed through a foam applicator where the foam is applied to the cotton fabric substrate using a top applicator of a foaming machine to apply the foam to a face of the fabric substrate in a wet-pickup range of 25% to 10%.

It is an object of the present invention to provide ultrafine cellulose fibers capable of exhibiting favorable dispersibility even in an organic solvent. The present invention relates to cellulose fibers having a fiber width of 1000 nm or less and having phosphoric acid groups or phosphoric acid group-derived substituents, wherein the content of the phosphoric acid groups or phosphoric acid group-derived substituents is 0.5 mmol/g or more, and the supernatant yield measured by an measurement method (a) is 70% or less.

To provide a new inorganic particle composite fiber including a large amount of adhering inorganic particles, An inorganic particle composite fiber includes: fiber; and inorganic particles fixed to the fiber, the fiber being thread-like in shape, the inorganic particles being fixed to the fiber via an ionic polymer.

The present invention is directed to eyectrochromic, supercapacitor yarns and the related fabrics. An electrochromic yarn formed by two interwind threads has been invented. The yarn is electrically isolated by a transparent, uncolored polymer. Each thread is the superposition of three concentric layers. The most internal one, the core, has the function of support and/or conductive layer, the second one is the eiectrochromic layer containing conductive nanoparticies, the third layer is a polymer dielectric blend. The yarns described above allows to generate electrochromic fabrics in which the colour can be varied by the application of small electric voltages fed by a battery with variable power supply controlled by a microprocessor connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth technology. A specific application on the smartphone allows to change the voltage supply to the fabrics, in order to get the desired chromatic change.

The invention relates to treated cellulosic fibers comprising internally dispersed cuprous oxide (Cu.sub.2O) nanoparticles, methods of preparing such treated cellulosic fibers, and uses of such treated cellulosic fibers.

Provided herein are a controllable liquid transport material, a controllable liquid transport system and a method for preparing a controllable liquid transport material, where a first region of the controllable liquid transport material is treated to be hydrophobic, while a plurality of second regions partially contacted or completely separated with different shapes are treated to have a gradient or varied wettabilities and/or pore sizes for passively controllable liquid transport, and/or integrated with a smart material for actively controllable liquid transport driven by an external force, allowing efficiently and controllably directional transport of a liquid e.g., sweat. The controllable liquid transport system comprises a controllable liquid transport material used as a liquid transport layer and a breathable, waterproof protective layer.

The present invention relates generally to methods of producing, using, and storing stable aqueously dispersed superhydrophobic compositions made from these compositions to provide superhydrophobic treatments on a range of porous, semi-porous, and non-porous target materials and surfaces as well as combinations of these materials and surfaces. More particularly, the present invention provides stably dispersed waterborne superhydrophobic compositions comprising colloidal silica or hydrophobically-modified silicon dioxide (i.e., silica) and one or more additional agents and/or compounds. When the compositions of the present invention are applied (e.g., via spray deposition, immersion, liquid application, and the like) to a suitable target material and/or surface the target is imparted with a durable (super)hydrophobic coating.

Functionalized textile materials are provided. At least a portion of a textile surface in includes a ceramic material, such as a binderless porous structured ceramic, and optionally, one or more functional layer is applied, resulting in a textile material with one or more desirable functional properties, such as hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, flame retardancy, photocatalysis, anti-fouling, and/or deodorant 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.