Nonwoven fabrics and textiles containing cellulose ester fibers particularly cellulose acetate fibers are thermally bonded. An aqueous plasticizing solution is applied to the surface of a nonwoven web and thereafter the web is thermally bonded to create a thermally bonded nonwoven textile. Alternatively, water can be applied to the dry surface of a nonwoven web containing organic plasticizer treated cellulose ester fibers to create the moistened nonwoven web and thereafter thermally bonding the moistened nonwoven web to make a thermally bonded nonwoven textile. The fabrics exhibit an increase in tensile strength and toughness greater than the individual contributions of water and plasticizer alone and greater than the additive contributions of water and plasticizer alone.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a liquid permeable body comprising a porous composite that has different liquid permeabilities between in the in-plane direction and in the out-of-plane direction as well as excellent mechanical properties. The liquid permeable body comprises a porous composite having a structure in which discontinuous reinforcing fibers are dispersed; the dispersed discontinuous reinforcing fibers are bonded with a thermoplastic resin at at least an intersection thereof; voids of continuous openings form a void content of from 30 to 90%; an average value of fiber orientation angles is from 0 to 40 in an in-plane direction of the discontinuous reinforcing fibers; and an average value of fiber orientation angles is from 0 to 25 in an out-of-plane direction of the discontinuous reinforcing fibers.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a liquid permeable body comprising a porous composite that has different liquid permeabilities between in the in-plane direction and in the out-of-plane direction as well as excellent mechanical properties. The liquid permeable body comprises a porous composite having a structure in which discontinuous reinforcing fibers are dispersed; the dispersed discontinuous reinforcing fibers are bonded with a thermoplastic resin at at least an intersection thereof; voids of continuous openings form a void content of from 30 to 90%; an average value of fiber orientation angles is from 0 to 40 in an in-plane direction of the discontinuous reinforcing fibers; and an average value of fiber orientation angles is from 0 to 25 in an out-of-plane direction of the discontinuous reinforcing fibers.

A composite polymer electrolyte membrane has a high proton conductivity even under low-humidity, low-temperature conditions, a reduced dimensional change rate, a high mechanical strength and high chemical stability, and produces a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a high output and high physical durability, a membrane electrode assembly, and a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell containing the same. This composite polymer electrolyte membrane contains a composite layer composed mainly of a polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) and an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte (B), the polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) being basic.

A composite polymer electrolyte membrane has a high proton conductivity even under low-humidity, low-temperature conditions, a reduced dimensional change rate, a high mechanical strength and high chemical stability, and produces a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a high output and high physical durability, a membrane electrode assembly, and a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell containing the same. This composite polymer electrolyte membrane contains a composite layer composed mainly of a polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) and an ionic group-containing polymer electrolyte (B), the polyazole-containing nanofiber nonwoven fabric (A) being basic.

The present invention generally relates to composites and articles made from nonwoven structures. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to nonwoven structures which are heated and/or pressed to form a substantially rigid article. In some cases, the nonwoven structure may be heated to temperatures greater than the glass transition temperature but less than the melting temperature of a polymer within the nonwoven structure. Such articles may exhibit creep of the polymer around other fibers in the nonwoven structure, but without any evidence of melting and/or flow. In addition, in some embodiments, such articles may have relatively large void volumes, or exhibit properties such as low flammability, smoke resistance, or acoustic insulation. Other aspects of the present invention are generally directed to systems and methods for making such articles, methods of use of such articles, kits comprising such articles, etc.

The present invention generally relates to composites and articles made from nonwoven structures. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to nonwoven structures which are heated and/or pressed to form a substantially rigid article. In some cases, the nonwoven structure may be heated to temperatures greater than the glass transition temperature but less than the melting temperature of a polymer within the nonwoven structure. Such articles may exhibit creep of the polymer around other fibers in the nonwoven structure, but without any evidence of melting and/or flow. In addition, in some embodiments, such articles may have relatively large void volumes, or exhibit properties such as low flammability, smoke resistance, or acoustic insulation. Other aspects of the present invention are generally directed to systems and methods for making such articles, methods of use of such articles, kits comprising such articles, etc.

A synthetic leather has excellent flame retardance and an article covered with the synthetic. The synthetic leather includes a fiber base material layer formed of a non-woven fabric sheet, wherein the non-woven fabric sheet includes at least one flameproof layer formed of a web including a non-melting fiber A having a high-temperature shrinkage rate of 3% or less and a thermal conductivity, conforming to ISO22007-3 (2008), of 0.060 W/m.Math.K or less and is formed by bonding the flameproof layer to a scrim layer including a carbonized heat-resistant fiber B having an LOI value, conforming to JIS K 7201-2 (2007), of 25 or more, and a resin layer is laminated on a surface of the scrim layer, and a covered article covered with the synthetic leather.

A synthetic leather has high flame retardance in addition to excellent mechanical strength and durability, which may yield a covered article having an excellent texture, and a covered article which has been covered with the synthetic leather. The covered article includes a synthetic leather and a covered article covered with the synthetic leather, the synthetic leather having a fiber base material layer including a non-woven fabric containing: a non-melting fiber A having a high-temperature shrinkage rate of 3% or less, and a thermal conductivity, conforming to ISO22007-3 (2008), of 0.060 W/m.Math.K or less; and a thermoplastic fiber B having an LOI value, conforming to JIS K 7201-2 (2007), of 25 or more.

Provided are: a fiber structure including two types of heat-crosslinkable thermoplastic resins; and a crosslinked molded body obtained by heat-crosslinking the thermoplastic resins with each other. The fiber structure includes at least a thermoplastic resin A and a thermoplastic resin B both heat-crosslinkable with each other. The thermoplastic resin A is an amorphous epoxy-type resin, and at least one of the thermoplastic resins A and B has a fiber shape.