What Is the Flame-Retardant Principle of Flame-Retardant Nonwoven Fabrics?

When it comes to flame-retardant nonwoven fabrics, many people are familiar with them. This is because with the development of the nonwoven fabric industry, nonwoven fabrics have become common products in our daily lives. For instance, the thermal insulation covers used in agricultural vegetable greenhouses are mainly made of needle-punched nonwoven fabrics. In winter, greenhouse insulation materials have shifted from straw to thermal insulation covers; however, these covers have a drawback: poor fire resistance. The emergence of flame-retardant nonwoven fabrics has effectively solved the fire hazard problem in vegetable greenhouses and general greenhouses. Below, I will explain the flame-retardant principle of flame-retardant nonwoven fabrics.

Compared with other nonwoven fabrics, flame-retardant nonwoven fabrics have higher high-temperature resistance, a higher melting point, and better sealing performance.

1. Incorporating Flame Retardants into Fibers

The flame-retardant function of flame retardants is integrated into fibers via polymer technologies such as polymerization, blending, copolymerization, composite spinning, and grafting. This process directly endows the fibers with flame-retardant properties.

2. Applying Flame-Retardant Coatings or Impregnation

Second, a flame-retardant coating is applied to the fabric surface, or the fabric is impregnated with flame-retardant agents during the finishing process to ensure the agents penetrate the fabric interior.

With the advancement of material technologies and nanotechnology, flame-retardant textiles now feature low costs, long-lasting flame-retardant effects, and almost unchanged softness and hand feel—meeting international first-class standards.

In general, fiber flame retardants utilize flame-retardant agents more efficiently than fabric flame retardants. Their flame-retardant effects are more durable, and the resulting fabrics remain softer. However, in practical applications, multiple types of flame retardants are usually combined in two or more ways to achieve a synergistic effect, thereby attaining the desired flame-retardant performance.