SBIR-STTR Award

There are currently several options for flame retardant materials for a variety of civilian and military uses, most all of these flame retardants are based on halogens and minerals that are harmful and toxic chemicals. Therefore, more environmentally friendly and non-toxic alternatives are needed as the public becomes more aware of the environmental issues facing the planet. Lynntech’s approach will be to use a non-toxic, renewable plant extract to develop a novel fire retardant compound. Material will be isolated, purified, identified and evaluated for its FR properties. The new material will be then covalently grafted in polymeric form on to the cotton based fabric surfaces to produce breathable, comfortable fabric materials that will be permanently fire resistant. Fire retardant, physical properties and toxicity of the modified surfaces will be analyzed. The overall goal is to take existing fabrics, with their desirable physical properties and high level of comfort, and add a flame retardant capability. The functionalized textile material will have thermal stability, reduction in smoke generation and flammability, reasonable cost, no skin and environmental toxicity, and permanence while retaining desired properties of the starting material. Our novel flame resistant textile material will withstand harsh conditions without leaching of the agents.

Keywords:
Flame Retardant, Non-Toxic, Environmentally Friendly, Biomimetic, Plant Extract, Fr Coatings.

As the public becomes more aware of the need to care for the environment, new environment-friendly flame retardant materials need to be developed. Many of the flame retardant chemicals in use today are toxic and harmful to the environment. This proposal concerns a naturally occurring plant extract as a potential non-toxic flame retardant compound. In a Phase I feasibility study, it was demonstrated that the plant-derived compound could be grafted onto fabric materials, with the resulting fabrics having significant flame retardant characteristics. Test results also support the non-toxic nature of the modified fabric. In addition to the extract being produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion, methods were devised whereby the extract can be used in manufacturing processes without generating environmental hazards. The proposed Phase II study will expand the understanding of plant derived compound as a surface treatment for existing fabrics. The study will further evaluate the flame retardant characteristics of materials treated with the compound, will further investigate the potential for toxic byproducts, evaluate sustainable manufacturing processes, and confirm the compound is compatible with the physical properties of combat uniforms (breathability, strength, color, weight etc.).

Keywords:
Flame Retardant Chemicals, Green Chemistry, Biomimetic Chemistry, Fabrics, Military Uniforms, Environmentally Friendly Manufacturing.