Abstract

N-methylol dimethylphosphonopropionamide flame retardant agent (FR) combined with a melamine resin crosslinking agent (CL) and a catalyst (phosphoric acid, PA) is used for enhancing the flame-retardant property of cotton fabrics. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂)/nano-TiO₂ co-catalyst is added to the FR formulation in order to enhance the crosslinking of the FR-CL-PA components. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet is used as a pre-treatment, to enhance the fabric properties by a sputtering or etching effect. The Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics (KES-F) was used to determine the tensile, shearing, bending, compressional and surface properties. In comparison, with the control fabric the specimens after FR treatment had worse tensile, bending, compression, surface friction and variation properties; an improvement was observed only in the shearing properties. With the aid of plasma pre-treatment, tensile and compressional properties of the FR-treated specimens were improved, while the shearing and bending, as well as the surface friction and variation properties, were affected negatively. A neutralization process could neutralize excessive acids and remove both the unfixed chemicals on the treated fabric surfaces, and the unattached metal oxide particles as well. The process improved the fabric handle in some aspects, such as tensile energy, extensibility, shear stiffness, bending rigidity, bending moment, compressional linearity, compressional energy and coefficient of friction.