A Thermogravimetric Study of Cotton Fabric Flame‐Retardancy by Means of Impregnation with Red Phosphorus

The effect of red phosphorus was found to be effective for flame-retardancy of a pure cotton fabric. The laundered bone-dried weighed samples were impregnated with red phosphorus at suitable concentrations. Vertical flame spread test was accomplished. The optimum add-on value to impart flame-retardancy onto cotton fabric was determined around 3.95 g of red phosphorus per 100 g of fabric. TG/DTG curves of treated samples showed a well-timed weight loss occurred with regard to untreated specimens. This illustrates the sufficiency of impregnation and support its catalytic action on flame-retardancy, which is compliance with data obtained via flammability test. The results are in favor of "Chemical Action Theory", "Gas Theory" and "Condensed Phase Retardation".