Development and Evaluation of Fire Retardant Cotton Fabrics

Abstract

A few fire retardant intumescent coatings based on ammonium phosphate, cyanoguanidine, 2-2 bis hydroxymethyl 1,3-propanediol (polyol), and a binder (a copolymer of vinyl acetate acrylate copoly-mer emulsion and an amino resin) have been developed for wood and wood-based products. The fire performance of the coatings has been evaluated employing differing BS and ASTM standards. On expo-sure, the coated specimens neither show any surface spread of flame nor any afterglow combustion. The coatings are found to be quite effective in reducing smoke generation, and they possess good water repellency and adhesion. Introduction Wood and wood-based panel products, i.e. plywood, particle boards, fiber boards, etc., are extensively used in buildings for doors, windows, partitions, and thermal and acoustical treatments as well as for decorative purposes. These materials are highly combustible and often pose fire hazards. If these materials are suitably treated for fire retardance, they will not only decrease the growth period of fire but will also reduce the spread of flame thereby obviating fire hazards and loss of life and proper~. In order to retard the ignition and surface spread of flame on these materials, different techniques such as chemical impregnation, surface treatment, spray, and incorporation of fire retardants during the product manufacture are often used. 1 There are two types of coatings that retard the spread of fire. One type of coating, called a fire retardant coating, uses additives such as borax, boric acid, antimony trioxide, and