Nonformaldehyde flame retardant finishing of the Nomex/cotton blend fabric using a hydroxy-functional organophosphorus oligomer

Multifunctional carboxylic acids, such as 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), have been used as durable press finishing agents to produce wrinkle-resistant cotton. In our previous research, we used BTCA as a nonformaldehyde bonding agent in the flame retardant finishing system based on a hydroxy-functional organophosphorus oligomer (HFPO) for cotton. In this research, we investigate the application of HFPO to the 65%/35% Nomex/cotton blend fabric using BTCA as a bonding agent and triethanolamine (TEA) as a co-reactant. We found that the addition of TEA in the flame retardant finishing system improves the hydrolysis resistance of the HFPO bound to the Nomex/ cotton blend and enhances the flame retardant performance of HFPO by means of phosphorus-nitrogen synergism. Moreover, TEA reduces the deposit of calcium salt on the treated fabric during laundering by esterifying the free carboxylic acid groups on cotton. The Nomex/cotton blend fabric treated with the HFPO/BTCA/TEA system shows high flame retardant performance at relatively low add-on levels. It is a completely nonformaldehyde flame retardant finishing system. KEY WORDS: BTCA, cotton, flame retardants, multifunctional carboxylic acid, Nomex, organophosphorus chemicals, triethanolamine.
INTRODUCTION NOMEX, A REGISTERED trademark of Dupont for poly(m-phenylene isophthamide) fiber, has been commonly used to make fire-resistant protective clothing [1]. The high cost of Nomex, however, limits its wider [...]