Flame-retardant finishing of cotton fabrics using polyamino carboxylic acids and sodium hypophosphite

The purpose of this research was to use polyamino carboxylic acids (PACAs) and their combination with sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2) as a flame-retardant finishing system for cotton fabrics. Flammability of cotton fabric was evaluated by 45 degrees flammability test, differential scanning calorimetry and measuring the char yield. The combination of polyamino carboxylic acids and sodium hypophosphite as a phosphorus-containing catalyst reduces the flammability of cotton. The pyrolysis properties and the results of char yield of the finished cotton show that with increasing amount of catalyst, the flame retardancy increases. Fastness against multiple laundering, whiteness and tensile strength of the cotton finished with PACAs/NaH2PO2 to multiple standard laundering have been studied, too. The flame retardancy effect has an acceptable washing fastness. Whiteness and tensile strength of the finished cotton do not change significantly. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.