Flame Retardancy Of Cotton Fabrics Research Articles

Silica-Containing Phosphorus-Based Sol-Gel Finishing to Improve Flame Retardant Performance of Cotton Fabrics

In this paper, the sol-gel technique was used to design hybrid phosphorus-doped silica structures for improving the thermal stability and flame retardancy of cotton fabrics. To this aim, diethylphosphatoethyltriethoxysilane (DPTS) was employed as phosphate alkoxysilane in a multistep procedure that involved multiple layers (from 1 to 6) depositions. The multi-layer coatings were applied by padding using sols containing appropriate molar ratios of the precursor, anhydrous ethanol, catalyst, and hydrochloric acid. Moreover, the synergism P-N on flame retardancy of cotton was assessed by introducing 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as an N-donor precursor in DPTS sols. The effects of the catalyst during the alkoxide reaction and the silica amount applied by sol-gel treatment on the thermo-oxidative behavior of the treated fabrics were deeply studied. The creation of the silica skeleton on the cotton surface and the interactions between the cellulosic fibres and the doped layer were investigated using FT-IR ATR spectroscopy. Moreover, thermal and thermo-oxidative stability, flammability properties, and combustion behavior of the sol-gel treated cotton fabrics were also studied, proving the effectiveness of the sol-gel coating in the fire protection of the cellulosic substrate.

Preparation and characterization of durable flame retardant cotton fabrics using phosphorylation reaction of cellulose with ammonium etidronate

Preparation and characterization of durable flame retardant cotton fabrics using phosphorylation reaction of cellulose with ammonium etidronate

A multifunctional flame-retardant TA-MXene based nanocoating for cotton fabric

Ti3C2Tx (MXene) is an ideal thermoelectric responsive fire-warning material but subject to its poor anti-oxidation and unsatisfied flame-retardant efficiency. Herein, a novel tannic acid (TA) decorated MXene (TA-MXene) with good anti-oxidation was fabricated and then used to prepare multifunctional flame-retardant cotton fabric (MFR@CF) combined with antimony potassium tartrate and polydimethylsiloxane. MFR@CF exhibited temperature-sensing and fire-warning performance. Moreover, MFR@CF showed superior flame retardancy with limiting oxygen index of 29 %. In addition, MFR@CF also possessed good thermal camouflage and self-cleaning performance, showing great application prospect in intelligent clothing and firefighting. Our work provides a new insight for preparing multifunctional smart firefighting CF.

A durable coating constructed by metal-organic framework and polyphosphazene for flame retardant cotton fabric with enhanced mechanical properties

The extremely flammable cellulose macromolecules in cotton fabrics seriously affect their application in the field of flame retardancy. In this paper, the surface of cotton fabric was modified with citric acid, and then metal-organic framework (UiO-66), cationic starch (St) and polyphosphonitrile (PZS) microspheres containing the transition metal element Zr were sequentially deposited to prepare an efficient and economical cotton fabric. St-PZS double-impregnated cotton fabrics have better thermal stability, flame retardancy and mechanical properties. And the coating does not affect the whiteness and stiffness of the cotton fabric. The results of thermogravimetric analysis showed that cotton/UiO-66/2St-PZS had a higher residual char rate (25.34%) under N2 atmosphere, which was 200.1% higher than that of control cotton (8.28%). In addition, cotton/UiO-66/2St-PZS had a 46.6% reduction in peak heat release, a 31.7% reduction in total heat release, and a 35.3% reduction in the peak of CO2 production compared to control cotton. It is worth noting that the average gross calorific value is 63.3% lower than that of the control cotton, indicating that flame retardant cotton fabrics can effectively inhibit the production of flammable gases. In addition, the tensile strength and elongation at break of cotton/UiO-66/2St-PZS are 458.79 N and 11.04%, respectively. After 20 laundering cycles, the mechanical properties remained almost unchanged.

Preparation and properties of stainless steel filament/pure cotton woven fabric

Abstract The flame-retardant cotton fabric used for welding protective clothing in the market exhibits insufficient melt hole resistance. We evaluated the stainless steel filament fabric for flame retardancy and melt hole resistance and found that it lacked sufficient comfort. A stainless steel filament and a cotton yarn were plied and twisted together and then woven following a set of specifications. The fabric was finished with a flame retardant, and its performance and flame retardancy were determined. The results indicate that the twist direction during ply twisting affects the fabric performance. Relative to the pure cotton fabric, the stainless steel filament/cotton composite fabric exhibits reduced comfort properties, such as moisture permeability and air permeability, but the mechanical properties and flame retardancy are improved. Ply twisting a stainless steel filament and a pure cotton yarn with an S twist presents certain advantages in enhancing the comprehensive performance of the fabric and exhibits potential for advancements in welding protective clothing.

A cationic, durable, P/N-containing starch-based flame retardant for cotton fabrics

A cationic, durable flame retardant for cotton fabrics, 6-(2-(dimethoxy phosphoryl)-2-(trimethyl ammonium)) methoxy-2-methoxy-polysaccharide ammonium phosphate (DTPAP), was synthesized. Its structure was verified by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. According to the FTIR spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), DTPAP formed P(=O)-O-C bonds with cellulose molecules and firmly grafted to cotton fabrics, giving the fabric a high durability. DTPAP-25-treated fabrics passed the vertical flame test (VFT), and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) was 43.9 %. After 50 laundering cycles (LCs), the DTPAP-25-treated fabrics had an LOI of 29.9 %, passed the VFT, and retained their flame retardancy. EDS data showed that, compared with engrafted cationic ammonium phosphate flame retardants, the DTPAP-treated fabrics contained fewer metal ions. Cone calorimetry data showed that DTPAP-25-treated fabrics did not display concentrated heat release. The results suggested that DTPAP exhibited a condensed-phase flame retardant mechanism, and the introduction of cations into the ammonium phosphate flame retardant reduced ion exchange, which improved the durability.

Fabrication of sustainable flame retardant cotton fabrics via foam finishing with sodium polyborate

The conventional process of imparting flame retardancy to cotton fabrics requires the consumption of large amounts of water, chemicals, and energy, which usually involves halogen-containing and phosphorus-containing chemicals. In this work, an eco-friendly sodium polyborate (SPB) foam was creatively introduced onto the cotton fabric surface by a bladed coater to improve the fire resistant performance. For the cotton sample with only 6.7% weight gain (WG) of SPB coating, the LOI value of cotton fabric (SPB treated cotton-1) was enhanced to 32.6% from 18.5%, the damaged length was decreased to 5.7 cm, and the sample self-extinguished in the vertical burning test. The peak of heat release rate value, total heat release value, and total smoke production (TSP) value decreased by 87.0%, 72.7%, and 22.2% respectively compared with those of the control sample. The TSP was further decreased by 80.6% when the WG of SPB was 16.7%. Besides, the SPB treated cotton showed enhanced antibacterial activities against S.aureus and E.coli. Particularly worth mentioning is in the SPB foam finishing procedure, no organic solvent and P or Cl-containing chemicals were involved, and the processing time was only around 3 min with obviously reduced water consumption, compared with dip-padding finishing. More importantly, SPB treated cotton kept good softness, whiteness, water vapor permeability, and air permeability. The SPB foam finishing in this work shows considerable potential in realize good flame retardancy on cotton fabrics by eco-friendly and high-efficient strategy.

Preparation and Application of a B/P/N Synergistic Flame Retardant for Cotton Fabric

Preparation and Application of a B/P/N Synergistic Flame Retardant for Cotton Fabric

A durable phosphorous-based flame retardant containing double reactive groups for cotton fabrics

Ammonium acryloyl phosphite (AAP) flame retardant with multiple reactive functional groups has been synthesized for use in cotton textiles. Nuclear magnetic resonance was utilized to analyze the structure of AAP flame retardant. The scanning electron microscopy images indicated that some flame retardants penetrated the amorphous region of cotton fibres. The energy-dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy spectra suggested that AAP flame retardant was grafted with cellulose through forming the -N-P(=O)-O-C- connection. The laundering cycles (LCs), limiting oxygen index (LOI), cone calorimetry, and vertical flame test (VFT) suggested that AAP-treated cotton (CF/AAP) possessed exceptional flame retardance and durability. The CF/AAP3 demonstrated an initial LOI value of 47.2 %, which remained at 40.7 % even after undergoing 50 LCs following the washing standard (AATCC 61–2013 3A). The thermogravimetric and infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric, and VFT analyses showed that AAP grafting groups underwent a condensed-phase flame retardance mechanism. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the AAP flame retardant affected the diffraction peak structure of cotton fibres crystal a little during the finishing process. After finishing, the cotton fabrics retained their breaking strength and softness effectively. The overall results indicated that incorporating reactive groups such as -N-P(=O)-(ONH4)2 and CH2CH- into flame retardants could reinforce the durability of flame-retardant cotton fabrics.

Multi-functionalization of cotton fabrics with excellent flame retardant, antibacterial and superhydrophobic properties

Cotton fabric is widely used in many fields for its excellent comfortability, breathability and hygroscopicity. However, the development of multifunctional cotton fabrics to meet the requirements of different scenarios is a top priority. In this study, multifunctional coating was constructed through facile layer-by-layer assembly phytic acid and chitosan, and spraying divalent copper ion and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on cotton fabrics, anticipating to endow them with flame retardancy, antibacterial and superhydrophobic properties simultaneously. The treated cotton fabric achieved a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 32 %, with the char length reducing to 10.7 cm revealing excellent flame retardancy. The water contact angle of multifunctional treated cotton fabric was above 150°, demonstrating it had superhydrophobicity. The antibacterial rates of multifunctional cotton fabrics against E. coli and S. aureus reached to higher than 99 %, indicating that the excellent antibacterial properties. Combined with the thermal stability of cotton fabrics and their char residues analysis, these results demonstrated that the multifunctional coating could act through intumescent flame retardant mechanism to flame retardant cotton fabrics. This research provides a facile way to prepare multifunctional cotton fabrics to broaden the application prospect.

Aqua‐mediated in situ synthesis of highly potent phosphorous functionalized flame retardant for cotton fabric

AbstractFlame retardancy in various materials is becoming an increasingly important performance feature. In the textile industries, fire‐related problems have become an important concern over the decade. Herein, the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and graphene‐supported material were functionalized with trimethyl phosphate (TMP) for the synthesis of flame retardant (FR) composite material [graphene polymer functionalized trimethyl phosphate (GPTMP)] in the aqueous medium, which improves the stability of cotton fabric against flame. Graphene and PVA fabricated with phosphorus functional groups make the fabric more comfortable against fire and help to avoid further spreading of fire. The composite‐coated fabric sustains for a long time on continuous flame with maintaining its initial shape and size. The GPTMP‐coated fabric shows flame retardancy for up to 540 s on constant flame exposure, whereas control samples such as PVA‐, graphene oxide‐, and TMP‐coated fabrics resist for up to 15, 20, and 14 s, respectively. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) and vertical flammability test (VFT) for synthesized composites were performed to confirm and support the flame retardancy property of GPTMP. The GPTMP shows the 35% LOI value and forms the char length of 2.6 cm during VFT. This work provides a simple and eco‐friendly method to obtain novel GPTMP, which has a high potential as a FR for different fabrics, including cotton.

Influences of boron and nitrogen co-doped carbon dot based coating fabricated via layer-by-layer self-assembly on the UV protection and flame retardancy of cotton fabric

Influences of boron and nitrogen co-doped carbon dot based coating fabricated via layer-by-layer self-assembly on the UV protection and flame retardancy of cotton fabric

Rationally designed lentinan outer layer to improve the comprehensive performance of flame-retardant cotton fabrics

As the most widely used natural fabric, cotton fabric is highly flammable with serious fire hazard concerns. The use of biomass materials to impart flame resistance to fabrics is always a hot topic of interest. In this work, a novel durable flame retardant cotton fabric (Cotton-APA/LNT) was fabricated by successively covalent bonding ammonium phytate (APA) and lentinan (LNT). The Cotton-APA/LNT fabric sample had a highly limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 51.5 % and was self-extinguished in the vertical burning test (VBT) at 18.0 % weight gain. The peak heat release rate and total heat release values were decreased by 91.5 % and 46.0 %, respectively compared with those of the control cotton. Besides, after 50 laundering cycles (LCs), the fabric was still self-extinguished in the VBT with an LOI value of 34.2 %. APA fully strengthened the role of acid source by the presence of LNT. The constructed LNT outer layer showed comprehensive improvements in thermostability, flame retardancy, smoke suppression, durability, and breaking force. Specifically, the Cotton-APA/LNT sample had a higher LOI value (↑4.3 %), lower total heat release (↓23.8 %), lower total smoke production (↓29.1 %), higher thermostability (↑27 °C under air), better char formation ability (↑2.0 % under air), higher durability (self-extinguished in the VBT after 50 LCs), and higher breaking force (↑32.5 % in the warp direction and ↑33.9 % in the weft direction) compared with those of Cotton-APA sample. This work has proposed an advanced approach for fabricating eco-friendly durable fire-safety cotton fabrics.

Ecofriendly and durable flame-retardant cotton fabric based on alkyl/N/B/P modified meglumine with high efficiency

Flame retardants for textiles have increasing tendency towards high efficiency and environmental protection. Herein, a series of efficient and ecofriendly alkyl/N/B/P modified meglumine (CmNBPM) were prepared by boric/phosphoric acid esterification of meglumine and then hydrophobic modification by N-alkylamine. Durable flame-retardant cotton fabric was fabricated by using CmNBPM as flame retardant. The results showed that carbon chains of alkylamine in CmNBPM structure should be controlled in range from C3 to C8. CmNBPM attained the best flame resistance at molar ratio of meglumine to boric acid 1: 4 and at molar ratio of phosphoric acid to n-propylamine 1: 0.8. In comparison with the untreated cotton fabric, LOI value of C3NBPM flame-retardant cotton fabric reached the maximum 38.4 % and improved by 1.18 times. pHRR, THR, and FGR of C3NBPM flame-retardant fabric were minimized among different N-alkylamine modification, which decreased by 84.5 %, 47.1 %, and 93.5 %, respectively. C3NBPM achieved high flame resistance at low dosage for the treatment of cotton fabric. Compared with NBPM fabric treated at the same concentration, LOI values of C3NBPM fabric treated in C3NBPM solution from 25 g/L to 200 g/L increased by 4.4– 17.7 %. Furthermore, C3NBPM fabric maintained good flame resistance after 30 laundry cycles.

Multifunctional design integrating the flame-retardant and antifouling functionality into superhydrophobic cotton fabric

Here, we construct a stable flame-retardant superhydrophobic cotton fabric (FRS-CF) via simple impregnation method. The firstly deposited ammonium polyphosphate/zinc borate (APP/ZB) and silicon dioxide form an inorganic hierarchical structure, which not only endow the fabric with flame retardancy, but also provide appropriate roughness for the construction of superhydrophobicity coating. The latter deposited polydimethylsiloxane function as low surface energy materials to achieve the superhydrophobic performance, and the added epoxy resin could strongly increase the overall mechanical stability of the coating through providing interfacial adhesion. Importantly, the hierarchical micro-sized structure generated by the deposition of APP/ZB can supply particular protection for the constructed superhydrophobic coating from flame. Thus, the modified cotton fabric can self-extinguish during vertical combustion and display excellent flame retardancy with oxygen limitation index above 30 %. Additionally, the coating shows excellent water repellency, self-cleaning, anti-fouling properties and oil-water separation to a variety of liquids. The constructed coating holds durable flame-retardant and robust mechanical stability. After cycled friction test, the FRS-CF still maintains excellent superhydrophobicity and the oxygen limitation index remains above 30 %. We believe that the design of robust superhydrophobic/flame-retardant coating may advance the development of flame-retardant cotton fabric and provide new possibilities for the practical application of superhydrophobic coating.

Bio-based phytic acid and urea interfacial layer by layer assembly for flame-retardant cotton

In this work, LBL technology is applied to prepare a bio-based flame- retardant coating (U@PA-Na) by a sequential assembly of positively charged urea (U) and negatively charged sodium phytate (PA-Na) solution in water medium. The U@PA-Na system possess the characters of safety, non-toxic, and high efficiency in flame retardant. The flame retardancy of U@PA-Na is evaluated by the cotton coated with U@PA-Na coatings (COT/U@PA-Na) before and after washing treatment. The limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical flame test (UL-94), and cone calorimeter test (CCT) composites are measured to evaluate the flame retardancy of COT/U@PA-Na. The LOI value of the COT/U@PA-Na3 composite after washing treatment can still reach 34.6% and pass UL-94 B1 grade, accompanied by damage length less than 150 mm and burning time less than 5s. It shows that U@PA-Na has excellent flame retardancy and water resistance. Cone calorimeter (CCT) measurements show that the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of COT/U@PA-Na3 decreas by about 61% and 74% compared with untreated fabrics. The thermal decomposition time of the treated cotton fabric is significantly delayed, and the peak decomposition temperature (T1max) is reduced by about 62°C, while the average residue is improved to about 21% at 650 °C. The image of the cone calorimetric burnt carbon slag shows that the carbon layer of cotton fabric treated by U@PA-Na is very dense, indicating that the synergistic effect of PA and U can promote the formation of a high-quality carbon layer which plays a "barrier effect" to protect the substrate and delay the combustion process. The flammability and forced combustion tests show that the bio-based U@PA-Na flame-retardant system with good washing resistance can significantly improve the flame retardancy of cotton fabric, greatly reducing the fire risk.

An eco-friendly B/P/N flame retardant for its fabrication of high-effective and durable flame-retardant cotton fabric

An eco-friendly B/P/N flame retardant for its fabrication of high-effective and durable flame-retardant cotton fabric

Bioinspired aldehyde-free and durable coatings for antibacterial, UV-resistant and flame-retardant cotton fabrics by the covalent bonding and in-situ coprecipitation

The development of functional and durable coatings is an effective solution for obtaining the satisfactory properties of cotton fabrics. Herein, the aldehyde-free and durable cotton fabrics (CZIF-8@CF) with well antibacteria, UV-resistance and flame retardancy had been obtained via an interfacial reaction strategy, where the well-organized zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) was in-situ grew on cotton fabrics pre-modified with chitosan (CS) and Zn ion. CZIF-8@CF displayed excellent antibacterial performances with 99.99 % antibacterial rates for both Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Besides, the resulted cotton fabrics exhibited less than 5 % UV transmittance. Flame behaviors tests proved that the multifunctional coatings acted as “physical barrier” to reduce the heat produce coming from the synergistic effect of catalytic charring and high residual protection under high temperature of CZIF-8, and “vacuum cleaner” to decrease the smoke release resulting from the self-porous structure of ZIF-8. Even after 50 washing cycles, the CZIF-8@CF still showed less than 5 % UV transmittance, 99.99 % and 93.67 % antibacterial rates of S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. It was demonstrated that the covalent bonding between CS and part of Zn2+ in ZIF-8 could promote the durable antibacteria, UV-resistance and flame retardancy of cotton fabrics.

Flame-retardant and antibacterial properties of cotton fabrics treated by epichlorohydrin-modified aramid nanofibers, ionic liquid, and Cu ion

To meet the demands of reducing the serious illness caused by the growth of bacteria and the severe life-threatening due to interior fabric fire, the attention to antibacterial flame-retardant cotton fabrics has reached an unprecedented height. In this work, a simple step-by-step dip-coating method was applied for the multifunctional cotton based on epichlorohydrin-modified aramid nanofibers (AEP), ionic liquid (IL), and CuSO4. Cot/AEP/IL/Cu exhibited low flammability with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) improving from 18.5% to 28.5% and high flame retardancy (e.g., ∼43.7% and 41.7% decline in peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release rate (THR)). Noticeably, the Cot/AEP/IL/Cu revealed conspicuous smoke suppression and toxic reduction property compared with Cot/AEP/IL (e.g., ∼77.0% decline in peak smoke release rate (pSPR) and 40.5% in total CO production (TCOP)). In addition, the antibacterial property of treated cotton was investigated by the agar diffusion plate method. Due to the presence of Cu ion, Cot/AEP/IL/Cu remarkably restrains the activity of E. coli and S. aureus. This work prepared a multifunctional cotton fabric integrated with flame-retardant, smoke suppression, toxicity reduction, and antibacterial in a straightforward way, which endows promising applications in many fields.

Synthesis and evaluation of an eco-friendly and durable flame-retardant cotton fabrics based on a high-phosphorous-content

Cotton fabrics are extremely flammable. Therefore, ammonium salt of dipentaerythritol hexaphosphoric acid (ADPHPA), a novel reactive phosphorus flame retardant without halogen and formaldehyde, was synthesized by solvent-free synthesis method. Surface chemical graft modification was chosen to introduce flame retardant, imparting its flame retardancy and washability. SEM indicated that ADPHPA entered the interior of cotton fiber, which was grafted with OH of control cotton fabrics (CCF) by forming POC covalent bonds to obtain treated cotton fabrics (TCF). There were no apparent differences in the fiber morphology and crystal structure after treatment according to SEM and XRD analysis. TG analysis demonstrated that the decomposition process of TCF was changed compared with CCF, while lower heat release rate and total heat release of TCF indicated its combustion efficiency was also reduced based on cone calorimetry test. Meanwhile, in the durability test, TCF had undergone 50 laundering cycles (LCs) in accordance with AATCC-61-2013 3A standard and had a short vertical combustion charcoal length, which were able to be regard as durable flame-retardant fabrics. The mechanical properties of TCF decreased to a degree, but did not affect the actual use of cotton fabrics. Taken as a whole, ADPHPA has research significance and development potential as a durable phosphorus-based flame retardant.