THE IMPARTATION OF FLAME-RETARDANCY TO COTTON FABRIC BY THE APPLICATION OF SELECTED CARBONATES OF GROUP II

Abstract

The effect of selected carbonates of Group II elements on the flammability of cotton fabric have been of interest in this investigation. The bone dried and weighed fabrics were impregnated with suitable concentrations of selected alkaline earth chlorides by means of squeeze rolls. Afterwards they were dried in an oven at 110 deg C for 30 minutes, then immersed and stirred in the bath of suitable concentrations of sodium carbonate. The treated specimens were squeezed, rolled, and dried in an oven of 110 deg C for 30 minutes. Afterwards they were immersed in tap water, distilled water respectively for removal of uninvited sodium chloride. The treated fabrics were dried at 110 deg C for 30 minutes, cooled in a desiccator, re-weighed with analytical precision, and kept under ordinary conditions before the fulfillment of the Vertical Flame Test. The minimum percent of add-on values expressed in g anhydrous salt per 100 g fabric has increased with the increasing molecular weight of the salts from 21.2% for MgCO3 it soars to 53.22% for BaCO3. In spite of this increment, the optimum moles of sufficient anhydrous add-ons remained almost unchanged from 0.24% for CaCO3 it soars to 0.26% for BaCO3. Therefore, the effectiveness of the aforesaid carbonates may be based on their heat dissipation; i.e., the heat may be conducted away from the fabric via the absorption of heat by the dust of the applied carbonates. On the other hand, there are wide discrepancies in thermal decompositions of the above mentioned carbonates and the pyrolysis or combustion temperatures of cotton. Hence, the applicability of Gas Theory in this connection may be disproved.