Enhancing flame retardant characteristics of high-loft fabric fire barriers

摘要

A high-loft fabric fire barrier is constructed with a substrate comprised of a blend of non-woven flame retardant cellulosic fibers and thermoplastic polymeric fibers, and a layer of nanoclay material extending along and integrated with at least one of opposite surfaces of the substrate, and preferably along both of the opposite surfaces. The fire barrier is incorporated into the construction of upholstered or cushioned items and, in particular, into a mattress.

主权项

1. A method for making a high-loft fabric fire barrier, the method comprising the steps of:
constructing a substrate of a blend of non-woven inherently flame retardant cellulosic fibers and thermoplastic polymeric fibers, with the substrate having first and second filamentous surfaces opposite each other, each of the first and second filamentous surfaces having one or both of a respective plurality of the cellulosic fibers and a respective plurality of the thermoplastic polymeric fibers projecting therefrom, and further having interstices among the projecting fibers of the first and second surfaces; providing a dispersion of a nanoclay material in a liquid carrier; applying the dispersion to the first filamentous surface of the substrate so that some of the dispersion enters the interstices thereof; and driving off the liquid carrier from the substrate so that the nanoclay material extends as a first layer of nanoclay material along the first filamentous surface of the substrate and into the interstices thereof, whereby the first layer of the nanoclay material is integrated with the substrate.