Fire retardant fabrics

In 1913, the renowned chemist William Henry Perkin became interested in the problem of reducing the high flammability of a then popular fabric known as "flannelette" and in the process of his work first defined the most important requirements for a fire retardant fabric which included properties such as durability, feel, non-poisonous nature, low cost and printability after treatment. The Perkins treatment consisted of... 

Since PVC has a much higher LOI than PC, why is it not employed to make fire retardant fabric ... 

Chorinated fire-retardant fabrics Poly(ethylene-co-propylene) United States 1,581,819 1969 Farbwerke Hoechst... 

Although the cross-sectional shape of the spinneret hole direcdy affects the cross-sectional shape of the fiber, the shapes are not identical. Round holes produce filaments with an approximately round cross section, but with crenelated edges triangular holes produce filaments in the form of a "Y." Different cross sections are responsible for a variety of properties, eg, hand, luster, or cover, in the finished fabric. Some fibers may contain chemical additives to provide light-fastness and impart fire retardancy. These are usually added to the acetate solution before spinning,... 

The first known fire-retardant process found durable to laundering was developed in 1912 (4). A modification of an earlier process (5), this finish was based on the formation of a tin(IV) oxide [18282-10-5] deposit. Although the fabric resulting from treatment was flame resistant, afterglow was reputed to be a serious problem, resulting in the complete combustion of the treated material through smoldering. 

The weight and constmction of the fabric affect its burning rate and ease of ignition. Lightweight, loose-weave fabrics bum much faster than heavier weight fabrics therefore, a higher weight add-on of fire retardant is needed to impart adequate flame resistance. 

Ammonia—Gas-Cured Flame Retardants. The first flame-retardant process based on curing with ammonia gas, ie, THPC—amide—NH, consisted of padding cotton with a solution containing THPC, TMM, and urea. The fabric was dried and then cured with either gaseous ammonia or ammonium hydroxide (96). There was Httle or no reaction with cellulose. A very stable polymer was deposited in situ in the cellulose matrix. Because the fire-retardant finish did not actually react with the cellulose matrix, there was generally Httle loss in fabric strength. However, the finish was very effective and quite durable to laundering. 

THPOH—Ammonia—Tris Finish. By far the most effective finish for polyester—cotton textiles was a system based on the THPOH—NH treatment of the cotton component either foUowed or preceded by the appUcation of Tris finish to the polyester component. This combined treatment appeared to be effective on almost any polyester—cotton blend. A large amount of fabric treated in this way was sold throughout the United States and much of the rest of the world. Shortly after the introduction of Tris finishing, Tris was found to be a carcinogen. Most of the Tris treated production was in children s sleepwear, and this created a situation in which almost aU chemical fire-retardant-treated textiles were unfairly condemned as dangerous. Manufacturers mshed to replace chemically treated textiles with products produced from inherently flame-resistant fibers. Nowhere was the impact more severe than in the children s sleepwear market. New, safer materials have been introduced to replace Tris. Thus far none has been as completely effective. 

Cotton—Wool Blends. Although they command only a very small fraction of the cotton blend market, cotton—wool blends are easier to make fire resistant than cotton itself. As might be expected, twiU fabrics containing both cotton and wool had decreased burning rates and increased 01 values both before and after fire-retardant treatment (147). 

Dicyandiamide, ia conjunction with phosphoric acid, is used as a flame retardant for ceUulosic materials (52). Cotton fabrics have also been treated effectively ia this manner. Use as a fire retardant for wood, particularly shingles, has found commercial appHcation (53). 

N 66.64% crysts, mp 225° was obtd as one of the products from reaction of cyanomeLamine with KOH NHj. Its substituted derivs such as Picrale, mp 258-60°(Ref 2) 290.5°(Ref 3) and Dipicrate, mp 257.7°(Ref 3) were also prepd as flameproofing agents. By depositing 10-40% of Guanylmelamine Pyrophosphate (obtd by reaction of guanylmelamine-HCl with di-Na di-H pyrophosphate) on a fabric, this compd was found to have fire retardant props for cellulosic materials (Ref 4)... 

The product is stable, free-flowing crystals. As a fertilizer, (NR SQ has the advantage of adding sulfur to the soil as well as nitrogen. By weight, the compound contains 21% N and 24% S. Ammonium sulfate also is used in electric dry cell batteries, as a soldering liquid, as a fire retardant for fabrics and other products, and as a source of certain ammonium chemicals. See also Fertilizer and Nitrogen. 

Outdoor Finishes. Excellent fire-resistant fabric has been obtained by treating fabric with a suspension or emulsion of insoluble fire-retardant... 

ZnO is of considerable commercial importance and applications relevant to this chapter include a variety of uses in the rubber industry as a curing accelerator, adhesive and stabilizer. It is also important in the manufacture of other zinc compounds and is increasingly being used in photocopying.121 For its applications as a pigment see Chapter 58. ZnS is an important phosphor. Zinc borate is used in fireproofing fabrics and in fire-retarding paints.121... 

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