Effect of combined flame retardant, liquid repellent and softener finishes on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fabric performance

The effect of flame retardant and oil/water repellent finishes on the performance and colour of poly(lactic acid) fabrics was examined, and the influence of sequential and combined finishing applications was determined. A range of drying and curing application conditions were evaluated for imparting a durable flame-retardant effect (based on a mixture of cyclic phosphonate esters) to the poly(lactic acid) fabrics. The best application conditions for applying the flame retardent with a fluorochemical and softener/lubricant, without causing significant colour change and deterioration in handle properties, was drying by 110°C followed by thermofixation at 135°C for 90 s. The flame-retardant performance of the poly(lactic acid) fabrics was found to be durable even after 50 washing cycles and the application of three different finishing chemicals (flame retardant, fluorochemical and softener/lubricant) in the same bath did not adversely affect either theflame-retardant performance or colour change of the poly(lactic acid) fabrics. Combined bath applications were preferred over separate bath applications due to the lower colour change and it was also found that the softener/lubricant used in this study had a deleterious effect on oil repellency recovery performance after hot pressing.