Influence of Na+ and Ca2+ on flame retardancy, thermal degradation, and pyrolysis behavior of cellulose fibers

Flame-retardant cellulose-Na and cellulose-Ca fibers were successfully synthesized by grafting Na+ and Ca2+ onto cellulose fibers, and confirmed by FTIR. The combustion behavior of the fibers was assessed by the limiting oxygen index (LOI) and cone calorimeter (CONE). The maximum LOI values of cellulose-Na and cellulose-Ca fibers were 31 and 30, which are higher than that (19) of cellulose fibers. The CONE results showed that the values of heat-release rate and total heat release for cellulose-Na and cellulose-Ca fibers were significantly lower than those for cellulose fibers. The thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTG) curves in the continuous and trigger modes showed that the cellulose-Na and cellulose-Ca fibers generated more residues than cellulose fibers. Thermogravimetric analysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to detect the characteristic gases produced in the pyrolysis of cellulose-Na and cellulose-Ca fibers.