Studies on Thermal Degradation of Cellulosic Fibers Treated with Flame Retardants

Hemp fabric, one of the most flammable materials, was treated with the compounds containing different kinds of elements that contribute to flame retardation. For a study of flame retardation from the standpoint of thermal degradation, the samples were subjected to thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) in air from ambient temperature to 600℃. The apparent activation energy (Ea) is evaluated by Broido’s method at different stages of thermal degradation to observe the variation of Ea in the process of thermal degradation. Flame retardation of samples was determined by limiting oxygen index (LOI) to find the effects of different compounds on flammability and the thermal degradation of hemp fabric. The composition of the chars was studied by the IR spectra to obtain information concerning the thermal degradation mechanism. Compared with flammable hemp, the hemp fabric treated with flame retardants showed a higher LOI, and lower Ea and decomposition temperatures, which indicates that some compounds make the hemp fabric decompose at lower temperatures, resulting in less flammable products.