Flame retardation of textiles

Abstract

The present invention discloses a flame retardant formulation comprising tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromo-propyl ether) (FR-720) particles in a liquid carrier, wherein the particle size of at least 50% of said particles (d50) is smaller than about 50 microns. Furthermore, the present invention discloses a flammable textile fabric, coated by a flame retardant film comprising FR-720 particles which are substantially homogeneously dispersed in or on the flammable textile fabric, and further of a process of preparing these flame retardant formulations and of a process of applying these formulations onto a flammable textile fabric.

1 . A flame retardant formulation comprising tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) (FR-720) particles in a liquid carrier, wherein the particle size of at least 50% of said particles (d 50 ) is smaller than about 50 microns. 
     
     
         2 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising a dispersing agent. 
     
     
         3 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising a binding agent, wherein an amount of said binding agent is less than 25 weight percentages of the total weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         4 . The formulation of  claim 3 , wherein said amount of said binding agent ranges from 5 weight percentages to 20 weight percentages of the total weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         5 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the particle size of at least 90% of said particles (d 90 ) is smaller than about 100 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the particle size of at least 10% of said particles (d 10 ) is smaller than about 10 microns. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising a smoldering suppressant agent. 
     
     
         9 . The formulation of  claim 8 , wherein said smoldering suppressant agent is an aluminum complex of ammonium superphosphoric acid (AlASP). 
     
     
         10 . The formulation of  claim 8 , wherein a ratio between said smoldering suppressing agent and said FR-720 particles ranges from about 1:5 and 5:1. 
     
     
         11 . The formulation of  claim 10 , wherein said ratio ranges from about 1:1 and 1:3. 
     
     
         12 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising a flame retardant synergist. 
     
     
         13 . The formulation of  claim 12 , wherein the formulation comprises AlASP and the synergist is antimony oxide (ATO). 
     
     
         14 . The formulation of  claim 13 , wherein a molar ratio between an elemental antimony in said ATO and an elemental halogen in said FR-720 is less than 1:3. 
     
     
         15 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid carrier is an aqueous carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The formulation of  claim 15 , being in a form of an aqueous dispersion. 
     
     
         17 . The formulation of  claim 16 , wherein said particles are homogeneously dispersed in said dispersion. 
     
     
         18 . The formulation of  claim 1 , comprising FR-720 in an amount of between 5 weight percents to about 70 weight percents, an acrylic binder in an amount of between 5 weight percents to about 50 weight percents, antimony oxide in an amount of up to about 40 weight percents, and water. 
     
     
         19 . The formulation of  claim 18 , further comprising AlASP in an amount of up to 70 weight percents. 
     
     
         20 . The formulation of  claim 1 , being characterized by a viscosity that ranges from about 100 centipoises to about 2000 centipoises. 
     
     
         21 . A flammable textile fabric, being coated by a flame retardant film, wherein said film comprises tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) (FR-720) particles which are substantially homogeneously dispersed in or on said treated flammable textile fabric. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , being characterized by at least one aesthetical or textural property which is substantially the same as that of said flammable textile fabric per se. 
     
     
         24 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , being a colored textile fabric. 
     
     
         25 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , having a durability of at least 15 washing cycles. 
     
     
         26 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , characterized by a relative standard deviation (RSD) of average bromine content, as defined by a gridline-12-samples-test, which is smaller than 15%, wherein said average bromine content is calculated upon cutting said fabric into twelve equal slices each weighing about 0.5 grams, separately measuring the bromine content of each slice, and calculating the RSD of said separate bromine content values. 
     
     
         27 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , characterized by an after flame time, as defined by ASTM D-6413 12 seconds ignition test, of less than 5 seconds. 
     
     
         28 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , characterized by an after glow time, as defined by ASTM D-6413 12 seconds ignition test, of less than 150 seconds. 
     
     
         29 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 28 , characterized by an after glow time, as defined by ASTM D-6413 12 seconds ignition test, of less than 50 seconds 
     
     
         30 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 21 , characterized by a char length, as defined by ASTM D-6413 12 seconds ignition test, of less than 15 centimeters. 
     
     
         31 . The flammable textile fabric of  claim 30 , characterized by a char length, as defined by ASTM D-6413 12 seconds ignition test, of less than 5 centimeters. 
     
     
         32 . A process of preparing the flame retardant formulation of  claim 15 , the process comprising:
 mixing tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) (FR-720) particles having a d 50  that is larger than 50 microns, with an aqueous carrier,   and milling said dispersion until:   a) the particle size of at least 90% of said FR-720 particles (d 90 ) is smaller than about 100 microns; and/or   b) the particle size of at least 50% of said FR-720 particles (d 50 ) is smaller than about 50 microns; and/or   c) the particle size of at least 10% of said FR-720 particles (d 10 ) is smaller than about 10 microns.   
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein said milling is conducted for at least 10 minutes. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A process of applying the flame retardant formulation of  claim 1  onto a flammable textile fabric, the process comprising:
 Contacting the flammable textile fabric with the flame retardant formulation of  claim 1 , to thereby obtain a flammable textile fabric having said formulation applied thereof; and 
 heating said treated flammable textile fabric. 
 
     
     
         36 - 37 . (canceled)