Boric acid cellulose insulation

Major constituent of paper, cardboards, and textiles is the cellulose. Some of the products of cellulose are cellophane, rayon fiber, nitrocellulose, water-soluble adhesives, and binders. Powdered cellulose is used as inactive fillers in tablets and as a thickener and stabilizer in processed foods. In the laboratories, cellulose is used in TLCs as a stationary phase, liquid filtration, as highly hydrophilic and absorbent sponges. These days cellulose insulation made from recycled paper is becoming popular as an environment-fi-iendly material. On treatment with boric acid cellulose can be used as a fire retardant. 

Boric acid is used as an antiseptic in mouthwashes, eye washes, and ointments a preservative in natural products to protect wood against insect damage in washing citrus fruits as a catalyst in hydrocarbon oxidation as a flame retardant in cellulose insulation in nickel electroplating baths and as a buffer in ammonia analysis of wastewaters hy acid titration. 

Borates are widely used in fire retardant applications. For example, cellulose insulation products used in homes and cotton batting used in mattresses and other furnishings are typically treated with boric acid to inhibit smoldering combustion. Borates are also used as fire retardants or fire retardant synergists in plastics, rubber products, and paints, where specialized borates such as zinc borate may be used. 

Inorganic boron compounds are generally good fire retardants (59). Boric acid, alone or in mixtures with sodium borates, is particularly effective in reducing the flammability of cellulosic materials. Applications include treatment of wood products, cellulose insulation, and cotton batting used in mattresses (see Flame retardants). 

Cotton Ammonium phosphates are the most effective FRs for cotton as first identified by Gay-Lussac in 1821 and still widely used. All phosphates on heating release phosphoric acid, which catalyses dehydration reactions of cellulose to yield char at the expense of volatiles formation reactions.50 However, ammonium phosphates like mono- or diammonium phosphates are water soluble, hence applicable as nondurable treatments only. Ammonium bromide can be used in combination with ammonium phosphates to provide some vapor-phase FR action. Other examples include borax and boric acid, ammonium sulfamate, and sulfates. These nondurable finishes are useful for disposable fabrics, insulation, wall boards, theatrical scenery, packaging material, paper, etc. Ammonium polyphosphates (APPs) are used in combination with urea to provide semidurable finishes and by curing at 160°C, when some phosphorylation can occur. Semidurable finishes are very useful for materials that may not need frequent washings, e.g., mattresses, drapes, upholstery, carpets, etc. Some commercial examples of semidurable finishes include Flammentin FMB (Thor Specialities), Pyrovatim PBS (Ciba, now marketed by Huntsman), etc.26... 

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