Combustion pathway of cotton fabrics treated by ammonium sulfate as a flame-retardant studied by TG

The effect of ammonium sulfate (NH4)(2)SO4 on the flammability of 100% cotton woven fabric (plain 144 g m(-2), the number of yarns 21 per 10 mm) has been of interest in this study. The laundered bone-dried, massed fabrics were impregnated with suitable concentration of aqueous ammonium sulfate solutions by means of squeeze rolls, drying and conditioning. Afterwards the specimen's resistance to burning has been determined. The optimum add-on value of ammonium sulfate to impart flame-retardancy to cotton fabric was in a range about 10.55-13.62 g anhydrous salt per 100 g fabric. Thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) of the pure cotton and the treated one with the above-mentioned sulfate as well as for pure salt were also accomplished and their TG curves were compared and commented to detect the combustion's pathway of the supported substrate. TG data confirm major mass loss in treated cotton. It occurred well below at a punctual duration of the thermal degradation zone of the polymer. So fewer flammable volatiles and more char could be produced during combustion. The results obtained are in compliance with gas dilution theory and also chemical action theory.