Aging of firefighter outer shell fabrics under accelerated conditions
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Firefighters, workers in the oil and gas industry, electricians, and military personnel, for example, wear protective clothing made of fire-resistant fabrics constructed from high-performance fibers (1). For firefighters’ protective clothing, the outer shell is generally a blend of different fibers such as para-aramid, meta-aramid, polybenzimidazole (PBI), and polybenzoxazole (PBO). These high-performance fibers are known for their exception resistance to heat and flame when new. However, the corresponding fabrics may be affected by long-term exposure to heat (2), ultraviolet (UV) radiation (3), abrasion (4), and moisture (5). This study aims to explore how firefighters’ outer shell fabrics respond to thermal, UV, and hydrothermal accelerated aging. After exposure to various aging conditions, the residual mechanical performance of the fire-protective fabrics was evaluated. Eventual morphological and chemical changes were also identified.
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http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6670
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en