Flame‐retardancy of a Cellulosic Fabric by the Application of Synergistic Effect between Ammonium Bromide and Antimony(III) Oxide

The synergistic effect between ammonium bromide and antimony(III) oxide as a nondurable finish on the flammability of 100% woven plain cotton fabric (with a density of 144 g/m², the number of yarns 21 per 10 mm), has been investigated in this study. The laundered totally‐dried, weighed specimens were impregnated with suitable concentration individual aqueous ammonium bromide and/or antimony(III) oxide suspension solutions and some sets were impregnated with appropriate admixed solutions of the both chemicals. A vertical flame spread test was then carried‐out to characterize the flammability of the samples. An acceptable synergistic effect was then experienced by using an admixed bath containing 0.1 molar ammonium bromide and 0.05 unit formal antimony trioxide solutions for impartation of flame‐retardancy to a cotton fabric. The optimum mass of the mixture required to impart flame‐retardancy was about 3.64 g of anhydrous additives per 100 g of fabric. The results obtained are in favor of Wall Effect Theory. Moreover synergistic effect indicating dehydration of the treated substrate by using this combination via thermogravimetry could be deduced.