Instituto de Investigación Textil de Jiangsu Inc.

Flame-retardant fabrics are an important category of functional textile materials and are widely used in fire protection, industry, protection and military fields. There are many components of flame-retardant fabrics. Among them, adding meta-aramid and para-aramid to flame-retardant fabrics can significantly improve the overall performance of the fabric and provide users with more comprehensive and reliable protection.

Introduction to aramid fiber

Aramid fiber is a synthetic polymer material. According to its different molecular structure, it is mainly divided into meta-aramid and para-aramid. These two fibers have their own characteristics in terms of chemical structure, physical properties and application fields.

1. Enhance flame retardant properties

The limiting oxygen index of meta-aramid fiber is 28-32%, which makes it difficult to burn in a flame. It extinguishes immediately after leaving the flame and will not produce melt droplets. It can quickly carbonize when encountering a sudden high temperature of 900℃-1500℃, forming a unique thermal insulation protective layer. The protective effect is excellent, and it is very suitable for making fabrics that require high flame retardant properties.

2. Improve mechanical strength

Para-aramid is known for its extremely high tensile strength and tear resistance, making it an ideal choice for manufacturing high-strength protective materials. By adding para-aramid to flame-retardant fabrics, the tear and cut resistance of the fabric can be significantly improved, providing users with stronger physical protection.

3. Resistant to chemical corrosion

Both meta-aramid and para-aramid have good resistance to most chemicals and can withstand the corrosion of most highly concentrated inorganic acids as well as bleaches, reducing agents, organic solvents and other chemicals, which is very important for chemical industry, petroleum, Industrial protective clothing in industries such as natural gas is particularly important.

4. High temperature resistance and thermal stability

The most important characteristic of meta-aramid is its long-term thermal stability. It can be used continuously for a long time at high temperatures from 204°C to 240°C, and has excellent dimensional stability. The thermal shrinkage rate at about 250°C is only 1%, and at 370°C Decomposition occurs only at temperatures above 400°C, and carbonization begins at around 400°C. Only trace amounts of gas are released, and the toxicity is almost zero. The heat resistance of para-aramid is also quite excellent. Its decomposition temperature is about 500°C, which can maintain strength and structure in high temperature environments, further improving the thermal stability of flame-retardant fabrics.

5. Lightweight

Para-aramid has a lower density, making the flame-retardant fabrics added with para-aramid more lightweight while maintaining high strength, increasing wearing comfort and flexibility. This is especially important in protective clothing that needs to be worn for a long time, helping to reduce the burden on the wearer and improve work efficiency.

Combining meta-aramid and para-aramid can integrate the advantages of both in the same fabric to provide comprehensive protective performance. And because aramid fibers have excellent durability and anti-aging properties, flame-retardant fabrics added with these fibers can maintain their protective properties and physical strength during long-term use, reduce replacement frequency, and reduce usage costs.

CJTI Aramid Flame Retardant Fabrics