Abstract
AbstractThe flame propagation rate of 94 different natural and synthetic fabrics and commercially available garments was assessed using the EN 1103 bench scale test apparatus. To further evaluate the potential burn hazard, the fabrics were then formed into upper garments, put on a full‐scale manikin equipped with 122 heat flux sensors and ignited with a small flame. By using a burn prediction model, the time to feel pain on the human skin as well as the time to suffer second degree burns could be calculated. The bench scale and full‐scale test data measurements show that the flame propagation rate is inversely proportional to the fabric weight for cellulose materials. The fabrics with the highest flame propagation rates were also the garments with the shortest times to pain and to second degree burns on the manikin. However, some blends of natural and synthetic fibres gave short pain and burn times on the manikin, even when the measured flame propagation rate using EN 1103 was low. Therefore, the flame propagation rate is a good means to predict the potential hazard of fabrics made of natural fibres; for synthetics and blends of natural and synthetic fibres, the heat transfer to the skin has to be considered as well. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.