Flame retardant finishing of textiles – A comprehensive review

Abstract

Flame retardant (FR) finishing is one of the most vital finishes required to develop flame retardant textiles for human protection. Traditional flame retardants are based on halogen, phosphorus and phosphorus-nitrogen chemistry. However, some of these compounds have limitations, such as formaldehyde release, toxicity, effluent generation, reduction in strength, stiffening of fabric, shade change and liberation of toxic gases. New innovative routes to develop flame retardant textiles like nanotechnology, plasma, and layer-by-layer techniques and intumescent flame retardant coating are explored by the researchers. To achieve sustainable FR finishing, finishes based on natural resources are also explored. Hydrogel-based FR finishing is an innovative area with a great prospect of exploration in flame retardant textiles. This paper reports a comprehensive information on FR finishing of textiles. The advanced methods for producing flame retardant coatings, including UV curing, microencapsulation, spray coatings, and sol-gel coating, are also reviewed.