Fabrication of highly durable flame-retardant cotton fabrics via stable covalent bonding of phosphorus/nitrogen compounds
摘要
Cotton fabrics with excellent flame-retardant durability have been developed through the application of a novel crosslinked flame-retardant system. A stable flame-retardant structure was constructed within cotton fabrics using a flame-retardant agent TPTD (tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium tetradiethylenetriamine) and a crosslinking agent DTE (diethylenetriamine tetraglycidyl ether). SEM images suggested that the surface morphology of treated cotton fibers was not dramatically changed by this treatment. Cotton fabric treated with 30% TPTD/DTE solution exhibited a damage length of 5.3 cm and a limiting oxygen index of 37.4%. After 50 standardized washing cycles, the flame-retardant cotton maintained a limiting oxygen index of 28.3%. This exceptional durability may be attributed to the covalent attachment of the flame retardant. The flame retardant modifies the thermal degradation pathway of cellulose, which enhances char formation and reduces the generation of flammable volatiles. Furthermore, combustion of the treated fabric exhibited a 90.6% reduction in peak heat release rate and a 23.2% decline in total heat release compared to untreated fabrics. The flame-retardant process is governed by a dual-phase action involving catalytic charring in the condensed phase and dilution effects by non-combustible gases in the gas phase, thereby inhibiting flame propagation.