Flammability of natural plant and animal fibers: a heat release survey

Abstract

SummaryWith increased interest in sustainable materials for use in building materials and clothing, there is a renewal in the use of natural fibers (plant or animal‐based) versus synthetic fibers in a variety of applications. However, there is not as much information available on the flammability of these natural fibers especially when they are used in products where purification techniques used in conventional textile processing are not required. The literature to date suggests that all of the fibers can be grouped into two categories: cellulosic and animal, with the assumption that regardless of original species, the flammability is similar for fibers within each category. In this report, we have conducted a survey via microcombustion calorimetry to determine if all cellulose‐based and all protein‐based fibers are the same from a heat release perspective. Our findings show that this is not the case, and there are notable differences in fiber types within each genus. Further, how the natural fiber has been treated prior to use can have some dramatic effects on heat release caused by residual impurity content. The results in this paper suggest that there is more to be learned about these natural fiber types in regards to their inherent flammability. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.