FLAME RETARDATION OF CELLULOSIC FIBERS AS CHARACTERIZED BY THERMAL-DEGRADATION BEHAVIOR

Cotton fabric, one of the most flammable materials, is treated with va rious compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, halogens, and boron, individually or in combinations of two components, for a study of flame retardation from the standpoint of thermal decomposition. Th ese samples are subjected to thermogravimetry and thermal analysis to determine if there is any characteristic difference in the thermal deg radation behavior of flame retardant and untreated samples. The result s show that flammable samples ignite immediately or soon after the ons et of thermal degradation, before the degradation rate reaches the max imum point, whereas flame retardant samples ignite considerably above the thermal degradation onset point, after the thermal degradation rat e reaches the maximum. The flame retardant samples exhibit characteris tic differences in thermal degradation behavior compared with those of combustible samples.