Enhancement in flame retardancy of cotton fabric by using surfactant-aided polymerization

In this study, a commercially available phosphorus-based methacrylate ester was polymerized on cotton fabric by a variation of admicellar polymerization to make it flame retardant. The resulting film of polymerized phosphorus monomer formed on the cotton surface was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Thermal properties were studied by Thermogravimetrical analyses which showed that the treated cotton fabric has higher char yield and lower decomposition temperature than untreated cotton fabric. Auto 45° flammability test was performed to understand the burning behaviour of treated cotton fabrics. Untreated cotton fabric burned the entire length of a 6.5 cm sample to ashes in 41 s. The treated cotton fabrics did not ignite during test and passed the flammability test with a residual char of 1 cm length. The durability of treated cotton fabric with flame retardant property was also investigated by repeated home-launderings.