Intumescent nanocoatings prevent ignition of cotton

Inside cover of Advanced Materials:

Researchers at TX A&M have discovered a recipe that renders cotton fabric, the most used natural textile, non-flammable.

Traditional intumescent coatings are composed of both carbon and acid donors, a blowing agent and a binder. Upon addition of heat, all of these components work together as an active barrier separating the substrate from the fire by expanding ~100 times its original thickness.

Below, a 3″ x 12″ piece of cotton fabric coated with 20 BLs of poly(allylamine) and poly(sodium phosphate) has withstood direct contact of a flame for 12 seconds (left). The micrographs display conformally coated fibers and are the first to illustrate nanointumescence (right).