Low Cost Flame Retardant Treatment for Cotton with Co-catalyst System

Fabrics made from natural cellulosic fibres are highly flammable. Many flame retardant (FR) agents and application methods have been developed for producing FR textile materials. However, to be efficiently fixed onto cotton fibres, the FR agents must be used in combination with resin and a catalyst which may introduce side effects such as reduced tearing strength and whiteness. In this invention, a co-catalyst is used to effectively enhance FR treatment and minimize its side effects. The finishing formulation developed is applied to cotton fabric with conventional pad-dry-cure finishing techniques.