Effect of polyamide ratio on the flammability of wool/PA blended aircraft seat fabrics

Abstract

Wool and polyamide blended fabrics are widely preferred for aircraft seats. Due to the requirements of the flammability regulations of airline authorities, aircraft fabrics have to pass vertical flammability and smoke density tests. In this work, polyamide/wool blended yarns produced in five different ratios. Yarn samples were knitted on a circular knitting machine. Fabric samples were dyed in overflow dyeing machine. Following the washing of the fabric samples, well known low smoke Zirpro flame retardant treatment based on a zirconium salts were applied. The effect of polyamide content on the flammability properties, the thermal behavior and heat release properties of the wool/polyamide blended knitted fabric samples were investigated. For this aim, cone calorimetry, thermogravimetric analyses, smoke density and vertical burn tests were performed. Results showed that polyamide content decreased the f lame retardancy of the wool fabrics.