Surface properties and flame retardancy of polyacrylonitrile fabric modified with nitrilase and vinyl phosphate

Flame-retardant finishing is essential for polyacrylonitrile fabric because of the restriction in application caused by poor flammability. Flame-retardant polyacrylonitrile fabric treated with nitrilase and vinyl phosphate was successfully prepared in this study. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, limiting oxygen index, KES fabric style instrument, air permeability, moisture permeability, thermal resistance, and moisture resistance tests were conducted to characterize the treated polyacrylonitrile fabrics. The results showed that carboxyl groups were introduced after nitrilase treatment, which efficiently improved the adsorption and combination of vinyl phosphate on polyacrylonitrile fibers. The sample prepared with nitrilase/vinyl phosphate treatment exhibited a high limiting oxygen index value of 27.5%. The air permeability and moisture permeability of the treated fabric decreased while moisture resistance increased.