TG COMPARISON BETWEEN THE EFFICIENCY OF DEPOSITED AMMONIUM BROMIDE AND AMMONIUM CHLORIDE ON THE FLAME-RETARDANCY IMPARTED TO COTTON FABRIC

This study investigates the effect of ammonium bromide and/or ammonium chloride as nondurable finishes on the flammability of 100% cotton fabric, (woven construction, weighing 144 g m(-2)). The laundered bone-dried, weighed fabrics were impregnated with suitable concentrations of aqueous ammonium bromide and/or ammonium chloride solutions by means of squeeze rolls and dried at 110 degrees C for 30 min. Afterwards they were cooled in a desiccator, re-weighed with an analytical precision and kept under ordinary conditions before the fulfillment of the vertical flame test. The optimum add-on values to impart flame retardancy expressed in g anhydrous ammonium bromide and ammonium chloride per 100 g fabrics were individually obtained to be about 3.5-3.89 and 17.31-17.99%, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG) of pure cotton and the salts treated fabrics were fulfilled and their curves were compared and commented. The results obtained comply with free radical theory, and also proved the superiority of ammonium bromide for the impartation of flame-retardancy in regard to ammonium chloride.