Woodhead Publishing Handbook of Fire Resistant Textiles (Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles)

Fire resistant textiles are one of the fastest growing sectors in industrial textiles. Handbook of fire resistant textiles provides a comprehensive overview of the considerable advances that have occurred in the field of fire resistant textiles in recent years. The first part of the book provides an overview of fire resistant textiles, while the second part addresses the various types of fire resistant fibres and fabrics, including flame retardant cotton, wool, ceramic fibers and blends, composites and nonwovens. The final group of chapters reviews aspects of testing and regulation, and details case studies of six major applications of fire resistant textiles. Key Features: provides a comprehensive review of the considerable advances that have occurred in the field of fire resistant textiles in recent years; discusses burning and combustion mechanisms of textile fibers and chemical modification of natural and synthetic fibers to improve flame retardancy; covers different types of fire resistant fibers and fabrics, including flame retardant cotton, wool, ceramic fibers and blends, composites and nonwovens. Contents: Part 1 Overview of fire resistant textiles: Combustion processes of textile fibres; Burning mechanisms of fibres; Chemical modification of natural and synthetic textile fibres to improve flame retardancy; Multi-component flame resistant coating techniques for textiles; Care and maintenance of fabrics used for flame resistant personal protective equipment (PPE); Safety, health and environmental aspects of flame retardants. Part 2 Types of fire resistant fibre: Flame resistant cotton; Flame resistant manmade cellulosic fibres; Flame resistant wool and wool blends; Flame resistant ceramic fibres; Flame resistant composites and nanocomposites; Flame resistant nonwoven fabrics. Part 3 Testing and regulation of fire resistant textiles: Selection of flame resistant protective clothing; Flame resistant clothing standards and regulations; Characterizing comfort properties of flame resistant fabrics and garments; Physiological impact of flame resistant clothing: Managing heat stress; Flame retardancy testing and regulation of soft furnishings. Part 4 Applications of fire resistant textiles: Flame resistant textiles for flash fires; Flame resistant textiles for structural and proximity fire fighting; Flame resistant textiles for electric arc flash hazards; Flame resistant textiles for molten metal hazards; Flame resistant textiles for transport applications; Flame retardant fiber-reinforced composites.