Effects of heat treatment on the mechanical and thermal performance of fabric used in firefighter protective clothing

With excellent thermal stability and resistance, X-fiper® fabric has been applied in fire-fighter protective clothing. In this paper, X-fiper® fabric was subjected to heat treatment at 6.5 kW/m2 and 9.7 kW/m2 for durations between 0 to 30 min. Effects of the heat intensity and exposure duration on mechanical properties, thermal protective performance, surface morphology, and structural properties were studied and analysed. The results showed that the intensity of heat flux had significant effects on the tensile strength, elongation at break, and tear strength. The tear strength of X-fiper® fabric was less than 100 N after 5-min-ute’s exposure at 300 °C. The thermal protective performance, however, did not change considerably. From the scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, specimens showed grooves, peel-offs and deposits as a result of heat treatment. The results observed by SEM and FTIR-Raman spectroscopy revealed the mechanisms of changes in mechanical proper-ties and thermal protection. © 2015, Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibres. All rights reserved.