Disclosed is a retro-reflective fabric, having an inner surface and an outer surface; one or more strands of retro-reflective yarn incorporated into the fabric; and a reflective ink coupled to the outer surface of the fabric. Also provided is a method of making a retro-reflective fabric, including: providing a coated retro-reflective yarn; incorporating the coated retro-reflective yarn into the weave or knit of a fabric; and disposing a reflective ink into an outward facing surface of the fabric.

Disclosed is a retro-reflective fabric, having an inner surface and an outer surface; one or more strands of retro-reflective yarn incorporated into the fabric; and a reflective ink coupled to the outer surface of the fabric. Also provided is a method of making a retro-reflective fabric, including: providing a coated retro-reflective yarn; incorporating the coated retro-reflective yarn into the weave or knit of a fabric; and disposing a reflective ink into an outward facing surface of the fabric.

A method for dyeing a transparent article made of a polymeric substrate with gradient tint comprising: a) a first step of photodegrading the polymeric substrate (1) of the transparent article, by irradiation (3) of at least one first surface of the article to UV radiations to produce a gradiently photodegraded surface layer of the polymeric substrate, and b) a second step of dyeing said first face of the article with a dyeing agent so as to diffuse said dyeing agent into the gradiently photodegraded surface layer of the polymeric substrate.

A method for dyeing a transparent article made of a polymeric substrate with gradient tint comprising: a) a first step of photodegrading the polymeric substrate (1) of the transparent article, by irradiation (3) of at least one first surface of the article to UV radiations to produce a gradiently photodegraded surface layer of the polymeric substrate, and b) a second step of dyeing said first face of the article with a dyeing agent so as to diffuse said dyeing agent into the gradiently photodegraded surface layer of the polymeric substrate.

A method of making a plastic article is disclosed. According to this method, a plastic article is formed from a thermoplastic composition that includes a first polymer component that is (i) a poly(siloxane-carbonate) copolymer, (ii) a poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate having soft block ester units, derived from monomers including an alpha, omega C.sub.6-20 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid or derivative thereof, a dihydroxyaromatic compound, and a carbonate source, (iii) a thermoplastic polyurethane, (iv) a thermoplastic polyurethane, or a combination comprising any of the foregoing. An additive such as a photochromic dye is then loaded into the plastic article by contacting a surface of the article with supercritical fluid carbon dioxide comprising the additive dissolved or dispersed therein.

A method of making a plastic article is disclosed. According to this method, a plastic article is formed from a thermoplastic composition that includes a first polymer component that is (i) a poly(siloxane-carbonate) copolymer, (ii) a poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate having soft block ester units, derived from monomers including an alpha, omega C.sub.6-20 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid or derivative thereof, a dihydroxyaromatic compound, and a carbonate source, (iii) a thermoplastic polyurethane, (iv) a thermoplastic polyurethane, or a combination comprising any of the foregoing. An additive such as a photochromic dye is then loaded into the plastic article by contacting a surface of the article with supercritical fluid carbon dioxide comprising the additive dissolved or dispersed therein.

Methods for coloration of substrates, including textiles, by plasma polymerization of dyes to which polymerizable moieties have been chemically bonded at sites on the dye capable of bonding to such moieties, and that have been deposited on at least one surface of the substrate, are described. Atmospheric pressure plasmas were used for the polymerization process. Generally, the plasma polymerization is performed away from the dye deposition so that undeposited dye is not exposed to the plasma. Textiles may include cotton, polyester, wool, silk, acrylics, polypropylene, polyolefins, aramids, and nylon, and blends thereof. The plasma-polymerizable moiety may be chosen from acrylates, methacrylates, and vinyl amides. Dye functional groups may include hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, amines: primary, secondary, and tertiary, epoxides, carboxylic acids, and chlorides, and dyes may include acid dyes, disperse dyes, azo dyes, vat dyes, sulfur dyes, direct dyes, reactive dyes, basic dyes, pigment dyes, aniline dyes, anthraquinone dyes, and coumarin dyes, as examples.

A method is provided for dyeing a molded part produced in a 3D printing process with a polymer. The method includes a dyeing step for dyeing the surface of the molded part with a dye, and a first post-treatment step for fixing the dye which has penetrated the surface of the molded part. Optionally, a second post-treatment step can be carried out in order to achieve even better fixing of the dye which has penetrated the surface of the molded part.

The invention relates to cushioned rugs comprising polyester yarn, particularly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn, comprising a crystallinity-reducing modifier in the polyester yarn, such as a branched polyester modifier. The invention further relates to methods of preparing such cushioned rugs.

The invention relates to cushioned rugs comprising polyester yarn, particularly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn, comprising a crystallinity-reducing modifier in the polyester yarn, such as a branched polyester modifier. The invention further relates to methods of preparing such cushioned rugs.