Thermal stability, flame retardancy and mechanical properties of cotton fabrics treated with inorganic coatings synthesized through sol–gel processes

Cotton was sol–gel treated employing several metal alkoxide precursors (namely, tetraethylortho-silicate, -titanate, -zirconate and aluminium isopropylate) in order to get inorganic phases able to improve the thermal stability and flame retardancy of the fabric, without changing its mechanical features. Indeed, after the sol–gel treatment the fibre/fabric surface was morphologically modified: a homogeneous and compact film located in the fibre interstices (warp and weft) and partially covering their walls was observed for all the systems investigated. These coatings turned out to be responsible of an overall enhancement of the thermal and fire stability of the fabrics preserving, at the same time, the original mechanical properties of the neat cotton in terms of tensile strength and deformation. In addition, such inorganic coatings increased the abrasion resistance of the cotton in a remarkable way.