Flame-retarding textile products

Boric acid is used to make heat-resistant glass. It is used in porcelain enamels and glass fibers. Boric acid is also used in metallurgy, in welding flux, and in copper brazing, in addition, boric acid is used in flame-retarding textile products. 

Finally, PBDEs—mainly three commercial mixtures known as Penta-BDE, Octa-BDE, and Deca-BDE—are still widely used as flame retardants in products such as polymers, resins, electronic devices, building materials, textiles, and the polyurethane foam padding used in furniture and carpets. The intensive production and use of these compounds has made them ubiquitous in the environment and in biota.125,126 EPA is working with industry, governments, and environmental and public health groups to research and better understand the potential health risks posed by these substances.127 The European Commission is also aware of these risks to the environment and public health and has established EQS in the low ppt level. Thus, for Penta-BDE, the annual average (AA) EQS is 0.0005 pg L 1 for inland surface waters and 0.0002 pg L 1 for other surface waters. There... 

As stated above, conventional synthetic fibres may be rendered inherently flame retardant during production by either incorporation of a flame retardant additive in the polymer melt or solution prior to extrusion or by copolymeric modification before, during, or immediately after processing into filaments or staple fibres. Major problems of compatibility, especially at the high tanperatures used to extrude melt-extruded fibres like polyamide, polyester, and polypropylene and in reactive polymer solutions such as viscose dope and acrylic solutions, have ensured that only a few such fibres are commercially available. A major problem in developing successful inherently flame retardant fibres based on conventional fibre chemistries is that any modification, if present at a concentration much above 10wt% (whether as additive or comonomer), may seriously reduce tensile properties as well as the other desirable textile properties of dyeability, lustre and appearance, and handle, to mention but a few. 

Antimony Oxide as a Primary Flame Retardant. Antimony oxide behaves as a condensed-phase flame retardant in cellulosic materials (2). It can be appHed by impregnating a fabric with a soluble antimony salt followed by a second treatment that precipitates antimony oxide in the fibers. When the treated fabric is exposed to a flame, the oxide reacts with the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose (qv) causing them to decompose endothermically. The decomposition products, water and char, cool the flame reactions while slowing the production and volatilization of flammable decomposition products (see Flaa retardants for textiles). 

The product is a hquid recommended for flame retarding flexible urethane foams in furniture or automotive seating. It also appears to be useful in polystyrene foam, textile backcoating, and polyester resins. 

A critical review of the toxicity of the haloalkyl phosphates and the potential metaboHc products is available (141). The toxicity of flame retardants used in textiles has also been reviewed (142). 

Flame-Retardant Applications. The flame resistance of polyolefins, unsaturated polyester, mbber, and many other synthetic materials can be improved by the iaclusion of chloriaated paraffias. The soHd 70% chlorine product is the preferred choice ia most polymeric systems, but the Hquid grades are widely used ia mbbers, polyurethane, and textile treatments. 

Ironically, the reactor was used to produce Antiblaze 19, a flame retardant used in textiles and polyurethane foam. Antiblaze 19 is a cyclic phosphorate ester produced from a mixture of trimethyl phosphite, dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), and trimethyl phosphate (TMOP). The final product is not considered flammable, but trimethyl phosphite is moisture sensitive and flammable, with a flash point of about 27 C. 

In order to accomplish with the aforementioned aim, during the first year of project, an extensive research on the different chemical additives used in six industrial sectors was conducted plastics, textiles, electronics, lubricants, leather, and paper. A list of selected chemical additives was identified for each sector and used as a study basis for the rest of the project. This is the case of the decabromo-diphenyl ether (BDE) used in electronics as a flame retardant or the triclosan used in the textile as a biocide. The results of this investigation were presented in the first volume of this book (Global Risk-Based Management of Chemical Additives I Production, Usage and Environmental Occurrence). This volume also included a section of case studies related to the selected additives in different countries (i.e., Denmark, Vietnam, Brazil, India). The main outcomes of the first part of the project are summarized below ... 

PBDEs are a class of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) used in textiles, plastics and electronic products. The effects of BFRs are associated with three commercial mixtures of PBDEs decaBDE, octaBDE and pentaBDE. In laboratory animal experiments, the toxicity of PBDEs was linked to damage to liver function and,... 

BFRs are one of the last classes of halogenated compounds that are still being produced worldwide and used in high quantities in many applications. In order to meet fire safety regulations, flame retardants (FRs) are applied to combustible materials such as polymers, plastics, wood, paper, and textiles. Approximately 25% of all FRs contain bromine as the active ingredient. More than 80 different aliphatic, cyclo-aliphatic, aromatic, and polymeric compounds are used as BFRs. BFRs, such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), have been used in different consumer products in large quantities, and consequently they were detected in the environment, biota, and even in human samples [26, 27]. 

HBCD is a brominated aliphatic cyclic hydrocarbon used as a flame retardant in thermal insulation building materials, upholstery textiles, and electronics. In 2001, the world market demand for HBCD was 16,700 tons, from which 9,500 tons was sold in the EU. These figures make HBCD the second highest volume BFR used in Europe [29], HBCD may be used as an alternative for PBDEs in some applications. To date, there are no restrictions on the production or use of HBCD. As a result of their widespread use and their physical and chemical properties, HBCD are now ubiquitous contaminants in the environment and humans [30, 31]. 

Used industrially as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of pesticides and phos-phosilicate glass. Used as a gasoline additive, catalyst, and as a fireproofing agent in the production of textiles and flame-retardant polymers for polyurethane foams. 

BFRs are used in a wide range of consumer products electronic components, textiles, foam in upholstery, carpets and building materials - all uses where the risk of fire necessitates caution. The increase in the use of plastics and flammable synthetic materials has contributed to the rise in the use of flame retardants. 

Dibromopropan-l-ol has been used as an intermediate in the preparation of flame retardants, insecticides and pharmaceuticals (Lewis, 1993). In particular, in the 1970s, the major use of 2,3-dibromopropan-l-ol was in the preparation of the flame retardant tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, which was used in textiles production of this flame retardant other than for research purposes has been discontinued (WHO, 1995 lARC, 1999). 

Aluminum bromide AlBr3 is used as a catalyst and parallels AICI3 in this role. Strontium and magnesium bromides are used to a limited extent m phamiacentical applications. Ammonium bromide is nsed as a flame retardant in some paper and textile applications potassium bromide is used in photography. Phosphorus tribromidc PBr3 and silicon tetrabromide SiBi4 are nsed as intermediates and catalysts, notably in the production of phosphite esters. 

A related methylphosphate/phosphonate oligomer has primary alcohol end groups, and can coreact with amino resins to form a water-resistant flame retardant resin finish on paper or on textile substrates. The application of this oligomer with a coreactant methylolmelamine on cotton upholstery fabric can enable furniture covered with this fabric to pass the Consumer Product Safety Commission s proposed cigarette ignition test. 

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