ABSTRACT
The field of flame retardance is multidisciplinary and complex. The number of flame-retarding chemicals and formulations is large and continues to increase. Flame-retarding treatments require the incorporation into the fabric of a relatively large quantity of chemicals, from 10–30% of the weight of the fibers. The number of tests used in evaluating flammability and flame resistance of textiles is large. Most of the flammability and fire-resistance tests deal with ignition, afterglow, char area or length upon burning, flame time, mass loss, rate of surface spread of flame, and flaming of drippings. Ignition by Flame: It has been pointed out that edge ignition by a flame is much more rapid than surface ignition. The rate of the propagation of flame after ignition occurred is considered, along with fabric weight, to be one of the criteria of high hazard especially when related to the size and depth of burn injuries.
