ARS | Publication request: Effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on thermal decomposition kinetics of flame retardant cotton

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 27, 2011
Publication Date: April 25, 2011
Citation: Nam, S., Parikh, D.V., Condon, B.D., Yao, F. 2011. Effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on thermal decomposition kinetics of flame retardant cotton. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. 1438-1443.

Technical Abstract: Four kinetic methods, Kissinger, Friedman, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, and modified Coats-Redfern, were used to study the activation energy, Ea, of the thermal decomposition of greige cotton nonwoven fabric treated with diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea. The results show that the Ea is significantly influenced by phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). The Ea for the fabric treated with DAP alone continuously increased throughout the conversion (i.e. decomposition) process, while the Eas for those treated with mixtures of DAP and urea became constant at high conversions. The overall Ea increased with the addition of urea, and decreased by a further increase of urea. These effects of P and N on the Ea were explained by the enhanced thermal stability and the facilitated decomposition of cellulose chains in crystalline region.