Christine W. Jarvis

Flammability of Cotton-Polyester Blend Fabrics

Cotton-polyester blends pose a special flammability problem because the thermal and mechanical properties of the fibers are so different. Cotton tends to char on heating but generally maintains some structural integrity; polyester normally melts and flows at temperatures of ca. 260°C. If a mixture of the two fibers is burned, the molten polyester frequently tends to wick on the cotton char, resulting in the phenomenon of scaffolding detailed by Kruse.(1) Because of these effects, it is impossible to predict a priori the flammability of the blend on the basis of the behavior of the individual component fibers; thus, Tesoro and Meiser(2) have shown that needle-punched webs prepared from 50:50 blends of cotton and polyester exhibited oxygen indices lower than those of either fiber alone in a similar structure. The hazard in the case of apparel may be further increased by the tendency of the molten polyester to cling to the body of the person wearing the garment, thus causing severe burns on its own.

A Flame Retardant Coating for Textile Applications

a powdered compound containing 50+% bromine, an antimony oxide synergist, and an acrylic binder. Softeners, permanent press resins, and emulsifiers are also frequently required to produce desired esthetic properties. Because of the flammability of the softeners, binder and other resins, higher levels of bromine/antimony oxide are required for the complete finish than when the flame retardant is used alone. The increased amount of flame retardant leads to processing problems, worsened hand and higher costs. However, if the flammability of the added components could be reduced, then the level of flame retardant could also be decreased. This paper reports the results of an investigation into decreasing the flammability of the acrylic binder. A series of experiments was initiated to design and develop suitable flame retardant latices. A bromine-containing binder was preferred since antimony oxide

Breadboard Development of the Advanced Inflatable Airlock System for EVA

The Advanced Inflatable Airlock (AIA) System is currently being developed for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI). The objective of the AIA System is to greatly reduce the cost associated with performing extravehicular activity (EVA) from manned launch vehicles by reducing launch weight and volume from previous hard airlock systems such as the Space Shuttle and Space Station airlocks. The AIA System builds upon previous technology from the TransHab inflatable structures project, from Space Shuttle and Space Station Airlock systems, and from terrestrial flexible structures projects. The AIA system design is required to be versatile and capable of modification to fit any platform or vehicle needing EVA capability. During the basic phase of the program the AIA conceptual design and key features were developed to help meet the SLI program goals of reduced cost and program risk. Option 1 focused on development of key design features and testing of breadboard units to demonstrate effectiveness of the design solutions. This paper discusses the progress made during option 1 of the AIA program. BACKGROUND