Speaker
Description
Nylon–cotton (NYCO) fabric combines comfort and durability, but its flammability limits protective applications. A water-based complex of egg white proteins (EWP), pectin (P), and guanidine phosphate (GP) was deposited on NYCO fabric through a two-step process. The coating deposition, surface characteristics, flame-retardant performance, and thermal degradation mechanism of NYCO coated with 4% EWP/(1% P–20% GP) at pH 3 were investigated using vertical flame testing (VFT), FTIR-ATR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC). The coated fabric self-extinguished during VFT and exhibited a char length of 127 mm. Spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the EWP/P–GP complex, while SEM revealed a conformal coating around individual fibers and preservation of their structure after flame exposure. Optical microscopy of the charred residue revealed a bubbled structure, confirming the formation of an intumescent char. TGA showed that phosphoric acid species generated from GP catalyzed the dehydration of cotton, EWP, and P at lower temperatures, while noncombustible gases expanded the char into an insulating barrier. Consequently, residue at 700 °C increased from 2.5 to 10.8% in air and from 10.4 to 29.2% in nitrogen. MCC showed a 59.3% reduction in the peak heat release rate associated with polyamide degradation, while total heat release and fire growth capacity decreased by 32.6% and 37.9%, respectively. The EWP/P–GP complex therefore promotes early intumescent char formation and effectively suppresses the thermal degradation and combustion of NYCO fabric.
Key words: NYCO fabric; intumescence; thermal degradation; flame retardancy
| Conference Topics | Advanced Characterization Methods |
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