Durable flame retardant finishing of the nylon/cotton blend fabric using a hydroxyl-functional organophosphorus oligomer

Abstract

Cotton/nylon blends have been commonly used as the material for protective clothing, but those blend fabrics are not flame retardant finished because of the unavailability of effective flame retardant finishing systems. Previously, we investigated the use of a hydroxyl-functional flame retardant organophosphorus oligomer (FR) in combination with the mixture of dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) and trimethylolmelamine (TMM) as the binders for flame retardant finishing of cotton. In this study, we investigated the application of FR to the 50/50 cotton/nylon fabric. When the FR/DMDHEU/TMM system is applied to the fabrics of nylon-6,6 and nylon-6, approximately 40% of the FR applied is permanently bound to the nylon fabrics. FR is bound to the nylon fabrics mainly through the formation of a FR/TMM crosslinked polymeric network, thus becoming durable to multiple launderings. The cotton/nylon blend treated with FR shows high levels of flame retardant performance and excellent laundering durability. The treated fabric passes the vertical flammability test even after 50 home laundering cycles. The fabric stiffness as a result of the finishing process is still an obstacle to be overcome for practical use of this finishing system.