Flame retardancy of cotton fabric using sustainable tree gum

Abstract

Mesquite tree gum (Prosopis gum), an agro waste, has been investigated as an innovative flame-resistant material. The extracted mesquite gum is adjusted at three different pH (5, 9 & 12) and applied on selected bleached cotton fabrics. The vertical flammability test and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) have been used to analyse the flame-retardant qualities of cotton (control and finished) fabrics. The mesquite gum finished fabric at alkaline pH (12) shows LOI value of 27%, which is 1.5 times greater than that of the control fabric. Besides, a char length of 85mm indicates self-extinguishment. The char surface morphology indicates that mesquite tree gum preserves fibre integrity. Durability of the flame-retardant property of the treated fabric to washing and rubbing has also been studied. The results of thermal degradation show 35 % weight loss with control cotton fabric against 29% weight loss of the mesquite tree gum finished fabric sample at 900 oC. Hence, mesquite tree gum has a good potential to be a sustainable flame retardant.