New environmentally friendly fireproof fabric in the United States is put into use
Recently, scientists from Texas A&M University in the United States developed a new type of environmentally friendly fire-resistant fabric using technology used to protect skyscrapers from fires. The advent and use of this new type of fabric has made parents more interested in non-flammable children’s clothing. Concerns about the effects of toxic chemicals on children have gone away.
It is understood that the fabric is composed of ordinary clay and renewable ingredients such as chitosan, a natural compound extracted from shrimp and shrimp shells. When heat is applied, the PU coating of this fabric will bulge outward to form a protective foam layer to prevent the fabric from catching fire.
This is the first time in history that a polymer-treated fire-retardant fabric has been developed. Study leader Jamie Kruland, associate professor of mechanical engineering at A&M University, said the fabric could be used to make terry bathrobes, children’s pajamas and car seats. The water-based components of the new fabric are less toxic than commonly used halogenated or brominated fire retardants, and are also more environmentally friendly.
Traditional fire retardants cover the top of the fiber like a shield, but they cannot stop burning and blackening. In contrast, this new material is only 0.1 microns thick (equivalent to one thousandth of the diameter of a human hair). a) An interactive film. Because the layer is so thin, the polymer liquid can penetrate the fabric and cover every fiber. This PU coating expands slightly when exposed to flame, preventing the fabric from burning. Except for a small area in direct contact with the fire, other areas were intact.
Kruland and his research team achieved this groundbreaking result five years ago when they realized that the PU coating used in a food packaging project had excellent fire resistance. The researchers then mailed a piece of the treated foam to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for standard flame resistance testing. “NIST didn’t even know that the foam had been treated,” Kruland told the Statesman Journal. “They were both pleased and surprised by the improvement in flame resistance.” The test results aided the research team. funding to conduct further research, not only to develop this fire-resistant fabric, but also to focus on future commercialization.
Kruland’s research team was able to manipulate the thickness of this PU coating down to nanometers, increasing the weight of the entire fabric by only 1% to 2%. This PU coating does not affect the color, texture or strength of the fabric. In contrast, most fire retardants sold on the market will cause the fabric to degrade and easily break. The next steps for the researchers are to commercialize the technology and further refine it to improve fire resistance and fabric feel. Kruland said he had little interest in the idea of starting a company, but would love to see his research become a standard flame-resistant treatment for fabrics, foams and wood products. He said: “I don’t know if this idea can become a reality, but everything starts with coming up with an idea.
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