High performance fire retardant fabrics

Table 8.3 High performance fire retardant (FR) fabrics for use above 150 °C continuous use...

Specialty polymers achieve very high performance and find limited but critical use in aerospace composites, in electronic industries, as membranes for gas and liquid separations, as fire-retardant textile fabrics for firefighters and race-car drivers, and for biomedical applications (as sutures and surgical implants). The most important class of specialty plastics is polyimides. Other specialty polymers include polyetherimide, poly(amide-imide), polybismaleimides, ionic polymers, polyphosphazenes, poly(aryl ether ketones), polyarylates and related aromatic polyesters, and ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (Fig. 14.9). 

Because of their favourable cost-performance ratio, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coated polyester (PET) fabric is the most common basic material used. It can be applied over the whole spectrum from small temporary to wide-span structures. With a top-coat that protects the PVC from soiling and early ageing, a life-span of up to 20-25 years can be obtained. PVC-PET composites are joined by high-frequency or hot wedge welding. With flame-retardant additives to the PVC coating, fire class B1 can be achieved. 

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