Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Fiber art installations placed in specific areas of non-residential buildings are required to be flame resistant. When needed, topical flame-retardant treatments are often used by artists to provide flame resistance. This study was a preliminary investigation of two application methods for a topical flame-retardant treatment on a fiberwork and an evaluation of flammability characteristics relative to add-on. Six commercial and two nonproprietary flame retardants were applied to a handwoven fabric consisting of identical linen warp and three separate sections of weft fiber content: cotton, rayon, and wool. Two methods of application, spraying and dipping, were investigated ANOVA was used to test for differences in add-on as a function of fabric, application, and product. Flame resistance was assessed by the National Fire Protection Association's Field Test: Match Flame Test. Data indicated that, in general, dipping results in greater add-on than spraying; however, this varies by flame retardant and fiber content of the installation. All samples except four passed the Field Test. It was not possible to determine if failure to pass was due to difficulty in obtaining satisfactory flame resistance with certain fiber combinations, to application methods, or to limitations of the Field Test. Although not evaluated in this study, there was visible evidence of undesirable characteristics that may result from topical flame-retardant treatments: color change, shrinkage, visible residue, and stiffness. Further research is needed to help artists and fire safety experts gain a better understanding of the complexities of topical flame-retardant treatments on fiber art installations.

Keywords

fiber art flame-retardant treatment flammability

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). (1990). Annual book of ASTM standards. (Standard D-143) . Philadelphia: Author.

Bell, J.R. (1986). Fire prevention and code enforcement. (rev. ed.) In A. E. Cote & J. L. Linville (Eds), Fire protection handbook (16th ed.) (pp. 15/37 - 15/47). Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association.

Booth, J.E. (1969). Principles of textile testing (3rd. ed.). New York: Chemical Publishing .

Building Officials & Code Administrators International, Inc. (1986). The BOCA national building code/1987 (10th ed.). Danville, IL: Interstate Printers.

deRis, J. (1986). Chemistry and physics of fire. (rev. ed.) In A.E. Cote & J. L. Linville (Eds.), Fire protection handbook (16th ed.) (pp. 4-2 — 4-16). Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association.

Drysdale, D. (1985). An introduction to fire dynamics. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Flame Retardants Buyers' Guide. (1989). American Dyestuff Reporter. (1), 15-31.

Klitgaard, P.S. , & Williamson, R.B. (1975, March). The impact of contents on building fires. Journal of Fire and Flammability, Consumer Produced Flammability Supplement, 2, 84-113.

Krasny, J.F. , & Sello, S.B. (1986). Fibers and textiles. (rev. ed.) In A.E. Cote & J.L. Linville (Eds), Fire protection handbook (16th ed.) (pp. 5/17-5/27).

10.

Lancaster, Z.W. (1987). Custom fiber work and installation. Surface Design Journal, 12(1), 22-23.

11.

Migliore, S. (1987). Flying by the seat of my pants. Surface Design Journal, 12(1), 14-15.

12.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). ( 1989). Standard methods of fire tests for flame-resistant textiles and films: NFPA-1977. National Fire Codes. (Vol. 7). Tumey, MA: Author. (Version updated 1989).

13.

Nfpa (1989). Standard methods of fire tests for flame-resistant textiles and films: NFPA-1989. National Fire Codes. (Vol. 7). Tumey, MA: Author. (Revised 1977 standards).

14.

Needles, H.L. (1981). Handbook of textile fibers, dyes and finishes . New York: Garland STPM.

15.

Sandholzer, M.W. (1946). Flameproofing of textiles. (circular NBS.C 455) . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

16.

SAS/STAT User's Guide. (1988). Release 6.03 Edition. Carey, NC: SAS Institute Inc.

17.

Sharry, J.A. (1986). Assembly occupancies. (rev. ed.) In A. E. Cote & J. L. Linville (Eds.). Fire protection handbook (16th ed.) (pp. 9/8-9). Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association.

18.

Sokal, R.R. and Rohlf, F.J. (1981). Biometry 2nd ed. New York: W. N. Freeman and Co.

19.

Tortora, P.G. (1987). Understanding textiles (3rd ed.). New York: Macmillan.

Evaluation of Application Methods and Flammability Characteristics for Topical Flame Retardant Treatments on Fiber Art Installations

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References