System for controlling the placement of a shear-thinnable polymer composition into a porous web, having a three dimensional structure of a plurality of structural elements with interstitial spaces therebetween, comprising:</claim-text> means for eating and impregnating the porous web with a fluorochemical; means for applying tension to the porous web; means for applying a curable, shear-thinnable, polymer composition onto one surface of the tensioned web; and means for shear thinning the polymer composition to substantially reduce its viscosity and selectively place it into the tensioned web to encapsulate at least some of the structural elements of the porous web by enveloping exposed surface portions of the structural elements. view more

System for controlled placement of a shear-thinnable polymer composition into a porous web, having a three dimensional structure of a plurality of structural elements with interstitial spaces therebetween, comprising:</claim-text> means for eating and impregnating the porous web with a fluorochemical; means for advancing the porous web; means for applying tension to the porous web; means for applying a curable, shear-thinnable, polymer composition to the web; means for shear thinning the polymer composition to reduce its viscosity and place it to encapsulate at least some of the structural elements of the porous web by enveloping exposed surface portions of the structural elements; means for controlling the tension of the porous web during shear thinning of said polymer composition into said web; and means for curing the polymer composition within the porous web. view more

A method of controllably applying a combination of treating materials to a porous web, said method comprising: applying a curable shear thinnable, thixotropic material to said porous web; applying one or more modifiers to said porous web; and subjecting said thixotropic material and modifier(s) to sufficient energy to cause the thixotropic material and modifier(s) to flow into the porous web, and selectively position said modifier(s) within the web, wherein at least some of the interstitial spaces of said web remain open. view more

A method of controlling the effective pore size of a web, wherein said web has a three dimensional structure comprising structural elements with interstitial spaces therebetween and a top surface opposed from a bottom surface, comprising the steps of: tensioning the web; applying a curable, shear thinnable material to said web; and subjecting said shear thinnable material to sufficient shear thinning energy to cause the shear thinnable material to flow into the web, selectively position within the web and form a thin film substantially encapsulating at least some of the structural elements of said web, wherein most of the interstitial spaces between structural elements of said web remain open. view more

A flexible, porous substrate having a matrix with open cells therein, at least some of said cells being at least partially individually lined with a curable shear thinning thixotropic polymer composition in an approximately planar region spaced from and generally parallel to at least one major surface of said substrate, and at least some of said lined cells being open. view more