Fully bio-based fire-safety composite from cotton/viscose wastes and alginate fiber as furniture materials

The increasing demand of textiles and apparel as global economy booms deepens environmental crisis associated with excessive textile waste disposed by landfill or incineration. This work implemented an eco-friendly and sustainable strategy to recycle up to 50 wt% textile waste with marine bio-based calcium alginate fiber into fire-proof fully bio-based composite textile by carding process. Incorporation of intrinsic nonflammable calcium alginate fibers endowed these needle-punching bio-composite felt with excellent inherent flame retardancy and improved safety. Horizontal burning test showed that by mixing with alginate fiber in proper ratio and pattern, extremely flammable cotton fiber and viscose fiber became totally inflammable. Analysis revealed that the generation of CaCO3 char residue and gaseous volatile of H2O inhibited the diffusion of O2 and heat, contributing to the outstanding fire proof performance of produced composite felt. The improved safety was affirmed by cone calorimetry test. It demonstrated limited heat, smoke and toxic volatile compound in the burning, as well as production of CO and CO2. All results showed that a straightforward yet economical method could recycle textile waste fibers into fully bio-based, fireproof and greener products, a potential candidate as fireproof structural filling and insulation materials for household textile or construction material.