Influence of eco-friendly surface pretreatment of cotton fabric on Mg(OH)2 immobilization for flame retardancy

Mg(OH)2 particles are immobilized onto the surface of cotton fiber by simple physical heat pressing method with the aid of swelling in ionic liquid and shrinkage in water. The effect of eco-friendly surface pretreatment of cellulase, UV and plasma on Mg(OH)2 immobilization for thermal stability and flammability of cotton fabric is discussed. Improved swelling effect of cellulose after surface treatment is beneficial to contact of Mg(OH)2 particles with cotton fiber. Due to good adhesion of Mg(OH)2 particles to fiber surface after partial dissolution and resolidification of fragmented fibril, the flame retardancy of cotton fabric is significantly enhanced under plasma pretreatment with the afterflame time of 1.0 s and afterglow time of 2.0 s. It is found that cellulase treatment is a mild treating method while plasma pretreatment improves flame retardancy at a cost of damaging fiber in a reasonable range. © 2021 The Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Japan.