Flame retardants Families for textiles
Flame retardants are typically added to consumer products to meet flammability standards for furniture, textiles, electronics, and building products like insulation.
Fire resistant fabrics could be of two types: natural flame resistant fibers or treated with a flame resistant chemical. Most fabrics are highly flammable and present a fire hazard unless they are treated with flame retardants.
Flame retardants are a diverse group of chemicals that are added mainly to textile products to prevent or delay the spread of fire. The main families of flame retardants which are commonly being used in the textile industry are: 1. Halogens (Bromine and Chlorine); 2. Phosphorus; 3. Nitrogen; 4. Phosphorus and Nitrogen
BFRs are used to prevent fires in electronics and electrical equipment. For example in the enclosures of TV sets and computer monitors, printed circuit boards, electrical cables and insulation foams.
In the textile industry BFRs are used in fabric back-coatings for curtains, seating and upholstered furniture. Examples are Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs).
BFR's are persistence in the environment and there are concerns about the risks these chemicals pose to public health. More and more BFR are not permitted to be used . In 2023, ECHA increased some products in list of SVHC, such as TBBPA (CAS 79-94-7),BTBPE (CAS 37853-59-1).
This category is widely used both in polymers and textile cellulose fibres. Of the halogen-free organophosphorus flame retardants in particular, triaryl phosphates (with three benzene rings attached to a phosphorus-containing group) are used as alternatives to brominated flame retardants. Organophosphorus flame retardants may in some cases also contain bromine or chlorine.
Toy safety standard EN 71-9 forbids two specific phosphate flame retardants in accessible textile materials used in toys intended for children under 3 years of age. These two flame retardants are more likely to be found in textile materials that are back-coated with plastics such as PVC than with the textile fabric itself.. Tri-o-cresyl phosphate, the most toxic tricresyl phosphate, is far less likely to have been used than tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate.
Nitrogen flame retardants are based on pure melamine or its derivatives, i.e. salts with organic or inorganic acids. Pure melamine as flame retardant is mainly used for flame retarding polyurethane flexible foams for upholstered furniture in homes, car/automotive seats and baby seats. Melamine derivatives as FRs are used in construction and in electric and electronic equipment.
Flame retardants are added on purpose to improve the safety of textiles.
Make sure that to avoid any restricted or banned flame retardants. In 2023, ECHA listed Melamine( CAS 108-78-1) in SVHC
Taifeng halogen free flame retardants based on Phosphorus and Nitrogen for textiles & fibers .
Taifeng halogen-free solutions for textiles and fibers provide fire safety without creating new risks by using hazardous legacy compounds. Our offering includes tailor-made flame retardants for the production of viscose/rayon fibers as well as high-performing ingredients for protecting fabrics and artificial leather. When it comes to back-coating fabrics, ready-to-use dispersion can resist fire even after many washing and dry-cleaning cycles.
Substanable fire protection, key benefits of our solution for textiles and fibers.
Flame retardant Textile is made by after-treatment flame retardant .
flame-retardant textile grade: temporary flame retardant, semi-permanent flame retardant and durable (permanent) flame retardant.
Temporary flame retardant process: use water-soluble flame retardant finishing agent, such as water-soluble ammonium polyphosphate, and apply it evenly on the fabric by dipping, padding, brushing or spraying, etc., and it will have flame retardant effect after drying. It is suitable for It is economical and easy to handle on items that do not need to be washed or washed infrequently, such as curtains and sunshades, but it is not resistant to washing.
Using 10%-20% water soluble APP solution , TF-301, TF-303 both ok . The water solution is clear and PH neutral . According to the fire retardant request, customer can adjust the concentration.
Semi-permanent flame retardant process: It means that the finished fabric can withstand 10-15 times of mild washing and still have flame retardant effect, but it is not resistant to high temperature soaping. This process is suitable for interior decoration cloth, motor car seats, coverings, etc.
TF-201 provides a cost-efficient, non-halogenated, phosphorus-based flame retardant for textile coatings and coverings. TF-201, TF- 201S , TF-211, TF-212 are suitable for textile coating. Semi-permanent flame retardant textile. Outdoor tents, carpets, wall coverings, flame retardant seats (interiors of vehicles, boats, trains and aircraft) baby carriages, curtains, protective clothing.
Referred Formulation
|
Ammoniun |
Acrylic Emulsion |
Dispersing Agent |
Defoaming Agent |
Thickening Agent |
|
35 |
63.7 |
0.25 |
0.05 |
1.0 |
Durable flame-retardant finishing process: The number of washings can reach more than 50 times, and it can be soaped. It is suitable for frequently washed textiles, such as work protective clothing, firefighting clothing, tents, bags, and household items.
Due to the flame-retardant textile such as flame-retardant Oxford cloth, it is non-combustible, high temperature resistant, good heat insulation, no melting, no dripping, and high strength. Therefore, this product is widely used in shipbuilding industry, on-site welding of large steel structure and electric power maintenance, protective equipment for gas welding, chemical industry, metallurgy, theater, large shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels and other public places with medium ventilation, fire prevention and protective equipment.
TF-211, TF-212, are ok for Durable flame-retardant textile. It is necessary to add a water proof coating.
Flame retardant standards of textile fabrics in various countries
Flame-retardant fabrics refer to fabrics that can automatically extinguish within 2 seconds of leaving an open flame even if they are ignited by an open flame. According to the order of adding flame retardant materials, there are two kinds of pre-treatment flame-retardant fabrics and post-treatment flame-retardant fabrics. The use of flame-retardant fabrics can effectively delay the spread of fire, especially the use of flame-retardant fabrics in public places can avoid more casualties.
The use of flame-retardant fabrics can effectively delay the spread of fire, especially the use of flame-retardant fabrics in public places can avoid more casualties. The combustion performance requirements of textiles in my country are mainly proposed for protective clothing, fabrics used in public places, and vehicle interiors.
British fabric flame retardant standard
1. BS7177 (BS5807) is suitable for fabrics such as furniture and mattresses in public places in the UK. Special requirements for fire performance, strict testing methods. The fire is divided into eight fire sources from 0 to 7, corresponding to four fire protection levels of low, medium, high and extremely high hazards.
2. BS7175 is suitable for permanent fire protection standards in hotels, entertainment venues and other crowded places. The test requires passing two or more test types of Schedule4Part1 and Schedule5Part1.
3. BS7176 is suitable for furniture covering fabrics, which require fire resistance and water resistance. During the test, the fabric and filling are required to meet Schedule4Part1, Schedule5Part1, smoke density, toxicity and other test indicators. It is a more stringent fire protection standard for padded seats than BS7175 (BS5852).
4. BS5452 is applicable to bed sheets and pillow textiles in British public places and all imported furniture. It is required that they can still be effectively fireproof after 50 times of washing or dry cleaning.
5.BS5438 series: British BS5722 children's pajamas; British BS5815.3 bedding; British BS6249.1B curtains.
American Fabric Flame Retardant Standard
1. CA-117 is a widely used one-time fire protection standard in the United States. It does not require post-water testing and is applicable to most textiles exported to the United States.
2. CS-191 is the general fire protection standard for protective clothing in the United States, emphasizing long-term fire performance and wearing comfort. The processing technology is usually a two-step synthesis method or a multi-step synthesis method, which has high technical content and added value of profit.
