Influence of crosslinking agent on the effectiveness of flame retardant treatment for cotton fabric

Abstract

In this study, the commercial organophosphorus compound Pyrovatex CP New was used as a flame retardant for cotton fabric. Citric acid and a modified dihydroxy ethylene urea (DHEU) labelled Knittex FFRC were used as crosslinking to increase the flame-retardant laundering durability of treated cotton fabric. There have been some studies showing that Chitosan has the potential to improve flame retardancy and laundering durability of flame retardant treated cotton fabric. Thus, Chitosan, which has the molecular weight of 2.600 (water soluble) and the deacetylation degree of approximately 75%, is added to finishing solution for flame retardant treatment of cotton fabric. The padding-drying-curing method was used in this study. After treatment, all samples were examined to determine the chemical absorption level. The 45° flammability test characteristics and LOI value of untreated and treated samples after different number of washing cycle were determined to assess the flame retardancy of the treated fabric and its laundering durability. In addition, to assess the impact of this treatment on the mechanical strength and ecology of the fabric, the tensile strength and free formaldehyde content of the treated fabric were also evaluated

Application of Plasma Activation in Flame-Retardant Treatment for Cotton Fabric

“…Hence, the application of FR products on cotton is an important textile issue. Many studies have attempted to impart flame retardancy in cotton by grafting FR groups or coating with FR layers [2]. Recently, X. Hu [3][4][5] has used inorganic compounds in water-based fireproof nano coating for the steel and plywood.…”

“…Polycarboxylic acids (1,2,3,4-butane tetracarboxylic acid and citric acid) have also been considered as more appropriate options because with their carboxylic groups, they can produce a cross linkage between cellulose and PCN. Moreover, they are the formaldehyde-free crosslinking [2,6,7,9,13]. However, the mechanical strength loss of the treated fabric was also important, which was due to the high temperatures of curing (180 • C) and the low pH of the padding solution.…”

“…However, the mechanical strength loss of the treated fabric was also important, which was due to the high temperatures of curing (180 • C) and the low pH of the padding solution. In our previous study [2,14,15], the modified dihydroxy ethylene urea (DHEU) labeled (K-FFRC) had been used as a formaldehyde-free cross-linking agent between celluloses and PCN. The results showed that the treated fabric is flame retardant (LOI > 25).…”

“…The results showed that the treated fabric is flame retardant (LOI > 25). Moreover, the laundering durability of the treated fabric was also good (LOI of the treated fabric after 30 wash cycles was always more than 25 [2,14,15]). Moreover, the free formaldehyde content of the treated fabric was acceptable.…”

“…Therefore, DHEU crosslinking seems to be a better solution than the ones mentioned above. However, with K-FFRC, the cotton fabric still had to be cured at 180 • C, so the mechanical loss of the treated fabric was still high (26.9% [2] and had been varied from 18% to 32% [14]).…”