Improved flame-retardant nonwoven fabrics and composites and clothing made using them

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention replace at least a portion of the flame-retardant fibers (e.g., aramid) conventionally used in the filling of thermal liners with heat-stable polyamide fibers (e.g., nylon fibers). The TPP performance of garments incorporating the embodiments of thermal liners intended herein is comparable to, if not improved to, garments formed using conventional thermal liners.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 460,177, filed on 18 April 2023, entitled “Improved Flame Resistant Thermal Liners and Garments Made with Same,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] field Embodiments of the present invention relate to improved nonwoven fabrics, as well as protective composites and garments incorporating such nonwoven fabrics. [Background technology]

[0003] background Protective garments are designed to protect the wearer from hazardous environmental conditions they may encounter. Such garments include those designed for firefighters and other rescue workers, industrial workers, electricians, and military personnel. Firefighters, emergency responders, search and rescue personnel, and military service personnel may be exposed to extreme heat and / or flames during their work. Protective garments are designed and manufactured as a way to combat injury. These protective garments, commonly called turnout gear (including coveralls, trousers, and jackets), can be manufactured from special flame-retardant materials designed to protect workers from both heat and flames.

[0004] To ensure that clothing adequately protects the wearer in dangerous situations, standards have been published that specify the performance of such clothing (or its constituent layers or parts). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1971 (Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2018 edition, incorporated herein by reference) specifies the required performance of firefighters' clothing.

[0005] Structural firefighter clothing, such as firefighter turnout gear, typically consists of a matching coat and pants and is primarily designed to prevent the wearer from suffering severe burns. Turnout gear or clothing 10 conforming to NFPA 1971 typically includes three layers (as shown in Figures 1 and 2): an outer shell 12, an intermediate moisture barrier 14, and a thermal liner 20. The outer shell 12 is usually a woven fabric made from flame-resistant fibers and is considered the first line of protection for the firefighter. It needs to be not only flame-resistant but also strong and durable so as not to tear, abrade, or snag during normal firefighting operations.

[0006] The moisture barrier 14 is also flame-retardant and is present to prevent water, harmful chemicals, bacteria, and bodily fluids from penetrating the turnout gear and affecting the wearer. The moisture barrier 14 may consist of a flame-retardant nonwoven or woven fabric 16 laminated to a water-impermeable layer 18 of a material such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene ("ePTFE"), polyurethane, or a combination thereof.

[0007] The thermal liner 20 is flame-retardant and provides most of the thermal protection that the garment alone can offer. Conventional thermal liners consist of a batting 22 of flame-retardant insulating material quilted onto a lightweight facecloth 24, the facecloth 24 also being made of flame-retardant fibers. The facecloth 24 is typically quilted onto the batting 22 in a crossover or chicken wire pattern. The thermal liner 20 is the innermost layer of the firefighter's clothing, with the facecloth 24 typically facing the wearer.

[0008] The thermal liner filling 22 may be a single layer of nonwoven fabric, but more typically it is formed of multiple nonwoven layers. For example, the nonwoven fabric used in many thermal liners is 1.5 ounces / square yard ("osy") and / or 2.3 osy spunlace fabric. These spunlace fabrics are typically formed using expensive inherently flame-resistant fibers such as para-aramid and / or meta-aramid fibers, with a high percentage (often 100%).

[0009] NFPA 1971 requires that garments and / or individual layers or sections thereof pass a variety of performance tests, including having a char length of 4 inches or less and an after-flame time of 2 seconds (or less) when measured according to the test method described in ASTM D6413 (Standard Test Method for Flame Resistance of Textiles, 2015 edition, incorporated herein by reference). To test the char length and after-flame time, a cloth sample is suspended vertically over a flame for 12 seconds. The cloth must self-extinguish within 2 seconds (i.e., the after-flame time must be 2 seconds or less). After the cloth has self-extinguished, a specific amount of weight is attached to the cloth, and the cloth is lifted so that the weight is suspended from the cloth. The cloth typically tears along the charred portion of the fabric. The length of the tear (i.e., the carbonization length) must be no more than 4 inches when tested in both the machine / warp direction and the cross-machine / weft direction of the fabric. Fabric samples are typically tested for suitability both before washing (i.e., when the fabric contains chemicals that often remain in the fabric from the finishing process, which are often flammable) and after a certain number of washes (five times in NFPA 1971).

[0010] NFPA 1971 also includes requirements regarding the degree to which fabric shrinks when exposed to heat, when tested according to ASTM F2894-21 (Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Materials, Protective Clothing, and Equipment for Heat Resistance Using a Hot Air Circulating Oven, 2021 edition, incorporated here by reference). To perform a heat shrinkage test on fabric, marks are made on the fabric at distances from each other in both the machine / warp direction and the width / weft direction. The distance between sets of marks is recorded. The fabric is then suspended in an oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. After that, the distance between sets of marks is measured again. The heat shrinkage of the fabric is then calculated as the percentage by which the fabric shrinks in both the machine / warp and width / weft directions, and must be less than the percentage specified in the applicable standard. For example, NFPA 1971 requires that the outer shell fabric exhibit a heat shrinkage of no more than 10% in both the machine / warp and width / weft directions.

[0011] The thermal protection provided by clothing fabric to the wearer is measured by measuring the thermal protection performance (TPP) of the fabric according to ISO 17492:Clothing for protection against heat and flame - Determination of heat transmission on exposure to both flame and radiant heat (2019, incorporated herein by reference), as modified by NFPA 1971. The TPP test predicts the rate of radiant and convective heat passing through the three layers of clothing fabric (outer shell, moisture barrier, and thermal liner) to a level that causes a second-degree burn to human skin. More specifically, this test measures the time it takes for enough heat to pass through the composite to cause a second-degree burn at a specific energy level. The minimum TPP rating for coats and trousers according to NFPA 1971 is 35 calories / cm². 2This corresponds to approximately 17.5 seconds of protection before a second-degree burn occurs. A higher value indicates better protection from the clothing system. The TPP test method is described in detail in Chapter 8.10 of NFPA 1971. [Overview of the project]

[0012] The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention,” and “the present invention” as used in this patent are intended to broadly refer to all subject matter of this patent and the following claims. Statements containing these terms should not be understood as limiting the subject matter described herein or the meaning or scope of the following claims. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not by this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts further described in the following detailed description sections. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the subject matter described in the claims, nor is it intended to be used alone to determine the scope of the subject matter described in the claims. The subject matter should be understood by referring to the entire specification, all drawings, and each claim of this patent.

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention replace at least a portion of the flame-retardant fibers (e.g., aramid) conventionally used in the filling of thermal liners with thermally stable polyamide fibers (e.g., nylon fibers). The TPP performance of garments incorporating the embodiments of thermal liners intended herein is comparable to, if not improved, that of garments formed using conventional thermal liners. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of conventional protective clothing.

[0016] [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a portion of the conventional protective clothing shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The subject matter of the embodiments of the present invention is described herein specifically to satisfy legal requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The subject matter described in the claims may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or processes, or may be used in combination with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be construed as meaning a particular order or arrangement between the various steps or elements unless the order of the individual steps or the arrangement of the elements is explicitly stated.

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention replace at least some of the more expensive, inherently flame-retardant fibers used in the nonwoven layers of conventional fillings 22 (e.g., aramid fibers) with thermally stable polyamide (such as nylon) fibers. Conventional polyamide materials such as nylon are thermoplastic and do not provide inherent flame resistance or thermal stability, and are therefore prone to melting and burning when exposed to heat and flame. Conventional nylon fibers are referred to herein as “non-thermally stable nylon fibers” or “NTS nylon fibers.” As a result, such materials have historically been included in flame-retardant fabrics in minimal amounts to avoid sacrificing the protective properties of such fabrics. However, polyamide fibers that offer greater thermal stability (in particular, less likely to melt and / or drip) have been developed, thereby minimizing the detrimental effects that nylon fibers have traditionally had on the thermal performance of fabrics containing nylon fibers. For the purposes of this disclosure, “thermal-stable nylon fibers” or “TS nylon fibers” are used to refer to a class of nylon fibers that exhibit one or more improved thermal properties compared to conventional NTS nylon fibers, such as better resistance to combustion, greater self-extinguishing properties, and / or reduced melting / drip properties, etc. (but not limited to these). Thus, larger quantities of these thermal-stable ("TS") nylon fibers can be mixed with other flame-retardant fibers to produce flame-retardant fibers that achieve the desired performance properties (including, but not limited to, compliance with the requirements of NFPA 1971). Examples of such TS nylon fibers are taught in U.S. Patent No. 10,640,893 (incorporated herein by reference), but are not limited to these.

[0019] Embodiments of the nonwoven fabric include TS nylon fibers combined with one or more other flame-retardant fibers. The other flame-retardant fibers may be fibers that are inherently flame-retardant (e.g., aramid fibers, modacrylic fibers, etc.) or fibers that have been treated with a flame retardant to become flame-retardant (e.g., FR cotton, FR rayon, FR acetate, FR triacetate, and FR lyocell). Non-FR fibers may be present in some embodiments of the nonwoven fabric intended herein.

[0020] In some embodiments, the nonwoven fabric is (i) TS nylon fiber of 1-70% by weight (including both values ​​(inclusive)); 5-70% by weight (including both values); 10-70% by weight (including both values); 15-70% by weight (including both values); 20-70% by weight (including both values); 30-70% by weight (including both values); 40-70% by weight (including both values); 50-70% by weight (including both values); 60-70% by weight (including both values); 20-65% by weight (including both values); 25-60% by weight (including both values); 30-50% by weight (including both values); and / or 40-60% by weight (including both values), and (ii) 30-99 Formed from other flame-retardant fibers (aramid fibers, modacrylic fibers, FR cellulose fibers and / or blends thereof) in weight % (including both values); 30-95 weight % (including both values); 30-90 weight % (including both values); 30-85 weight % (including both values); 30-80 weight % (including both values); 30-70 weight % (including both values); 30-60 weight % (including both values); 30-50 weight % (including both values); 30-40 weight % (including both values); 35-80 weight % (including both values); 40-75 weight % (including both values); 50-80 weight % (including both values); and / or 40-60 weight % (including both values). Embodiments of nonwoven fabrics are made of TS nylon fibers and, • Meta-aramid fiber; Para-aramid fiber; • Meta-aramid and para-aramid fibers; • Aramid fibers (meta- and / or para-aramid fibers) and modacrylic fibers; · Para-aramid fibers and modacrylic fibers; · Aramid fibers (meta and / or para-aramid fibers) and FR cellulose fibers; · Para-aramid fibers and FR cellulose fibers; · Aramid fibers (meta and / or para-aramid fibers) and FR rayon fibers; · Para-aramid fibers and FR rayon fibers; · Aramid fibers (meta and / or para-aramid fibers), modacrylic fibers, and FR cellulose fibers; and / or · Para-aramid fibers, modacrylic fibers, and FR rayon fibers may be formed in a blend of. Embodiments of the non-woven fabric may be formed of any of the fiber blends (or combinations thereof) provided in any of the weight percentages (or combinations thereof) described above. In some embodiments, the non-woven fabric does not contain meta-aramid fibers. In some embodiments, the non-woven fabric contains at least 20 wt%, at least 25 wt%, at least 30 wt%, at least 35 wt%, at least 40 wt%, at least 45 wt%, at least 50 wt%, at least 55 wt%, at least 60 wt%, or at least 65 wt% of TS nylon fibers. In some embodiments, the non-woven fabric contains at least 5 wt%, at least 10 wt%, at least 15 wt%, at least 20 wt%, at least 25 wt%, or at least 30 wt% of para-aramid fibers.

[0021] In some embodiments, the non-woven fabric is a spunlace fabric, but is not limited thereto, and may be other types of non-woven fabrics including needlepunched non-woven fabrics, airlaid non-woven fabrics, or wetlaid non-woven fabrics.

[0022] Nonwoven fabrics can be used in any suitable application, but in some embodiments, nonwoven fabrics replace one or more nonwoven layers of the filling 22 of the thermal liner 20 (see Figure 2). The filling layers provided in the thermal liner 20 may be the same, but do not have to be the same. Rather, different filling layers may be combined in different ways within the thermal liner 20. In some embodiments, the filling 22 is formed of multiple nonwoven layers, one or more of which are the nonwoven fabrics of the present invention disclosed herein, and one or more of which are conventional filling layers.

[0023] In some embodiments, the weight of the nonwoven fabric is 0.3-10 osy (including both values), 0.3-9 osy (including both values), 0.3-8 osy (including both values), 0.3-7 osy (including both values), 0.3-6 osy (including both values), 0.3-5 osy (including both values), 0.3-4 osy (including both values), 0.3-3 osy (including both values), 0.3-2 osy (including both values), 0.3-1 osy (including both values), 1-8 osy (including both values), 2-7 osy (including both values), 3-5 osy (including both values), and / or 4-6 osy (including both values).

[0024] Table 1 below shows examples of prior art thermal liners ("Control Thermal Liners") and non-limiting examples of thermal liners according to embodiments of the present invention ("Thermal Liners of the Invention"). Various layers of thermal liners were assembled and quilted together. [Table 1]

[0025] The term "Titanium® Facecloth" refers to a flame-retardant woven fabric formed from 100% meta-aramid filament yarn in the weft direction, and spun yarns formed by weaving these with a blend of 65% rayon fiber, 25% para-aramid fiber, and 10% NTS nylon fiber in the warp direction. The fabric weighs approximately 3.5 osy and is available from TenCate®.

[0026] The term "Defender® M Face Cloth" refers to a flame-retardant woven fabric formed from spun yarn consisting of a blend of 65% rayon fibers, 25% para-aramid fibers, and 10% NTS nylon fibers arranged in the warp and weft directions. The fabric weighs approximately 3.2 osy and is available from TenCate®.

[0027] The control thermal liners and the inventional thermal liners described in Table 1 were incorporated into conventional material layups for firefighters' clothing conforming to NFPA 1971 to form garment composites for turnout gear (i.e., fabric composites having an outer shell, a moisture barrier, and a thermal liner). More specifically, the control thermal liners and the inventional thermal liners were incorporated into the garment composites described in Table 2. [Table 2]

[0028] The definitions of the terms used in Table 2 are as follows: • "CROSSTECH BLACK®" refers to a capped ePTFE layer laminated onto a meta-aramid woven fabric layer. This moisture barrier is flame-retardant, air-impermeable, vapor-permeable, and waterproof. CROSSTECH BLACK® is available from Gore®. • "Pioneer®" refers to the 100% aramid fiber (i.e., flame-retardant) outer shell fabric available from TenCate®. • "Kombat(trademark)Flex" refers to flame-retardant woven fabric available from TenCate(registered trademark).

[0029] The control and the thermal liners of the present invention were placed within the garment composite such that the top layer of the thermal liner (see Table 1) was positioned adjacent to the moisture barrier. The control and the garment composites of the present invention were tested for TPP performance before washing, and the results are shown in Table 3. [Table 3]

[0030] As shown in the data in Table 3, the garment composite according to the embodiment of the present invention has a density of at least 35 cal. / cm². 2 (According to NFPA 1971) At least 38 cal. / cm³ 2 In total, at least 40 cal. / cm³ 2 In total, at least 42 cal. / cm³ 2 In total, at least 44 cal. / cm³ 2 The above, and at least 45 cal. / cm³. 2 The above is our assessment of the TPP.

[0031] The prevailing industry belief was that nylon fibers negatively impact TPP performance. Embodiments of the present invention prove this belief incorrect. Rather, replacing more protective (and expensive) fibers (meta-aramid fibers present in the control thermal liner) with less protective (and cheaper) TS nylon fibers (as in the thermal liner of the present invention) does not negatively impact the TPP performance of the garments incorporating them (the garment composites of the present invention). As is clear from Table 3, garment composites containing the thermal liner of the present invention (containing TS nylon fibers) had a higher TPP evaluation than garment composites formed using conventional thermal liners (such as the control thermal liner containing meta-aramid fibers), but were otherwise identical.

[0032] For example, the garment composites in Tables 4A to 4C are compositionally identical to the other garment composites in the same tables (i.e., formed from the same amount of the same material / layer), except that the meta-aramid fibers in the thermal liner filling of the control garment composites are replaced with TS nylon fibers in the garment composites of the present invention. [Table 4A] [Table 4B] [Table 4C]

[0033] In all cases, the TPP rating of the garment composite of the present invention in the table is greater than the TPP rating of the control garment composite in the same table, for example, (i) at least 3-15% greater, at least 5-15% greater, 5-10% greater, 7-15% greater, 7-10% greater, 8-15% greater, 8-10% greater, and / or 10-15% greater, or (ii) at least 3% greater, at least 4% greater, at least 5% greater, at least 6% greater, at least 7% greater, at least 8% greater, at least 9% greater, at least 10% greater, at least 11% greater, at least 12% greater, at least 13% greater, at least 14% greater, and / or at least 15% greater.

[0034] The extent to which the weight of a composite can be reduced while still achieving the necessary TPP protection is expressed by the TPP rating to composite weight ratio, which normalizes the weight differences between composites. The TPP rating to composite weight ratio is essentially an indicator of how efficient the composite is in protecting the wearer. The higher this ratio, the more protection the wearer receives for a given composite weight. Therefore, a higher TPP rating to composite weight ratio is desirable to represent composites that achieve the necessary TPP protection but are lighter in weight to reduce stress on the wearer. Clothing composites according to some embodiments have a TPP to composite weight ratio of at least 2.0 to 3.0, such as at least 2.0; at least 2.1; at least 2.2; at least 2.3; at least 2.4; at least 2.5; at least 2.6; at least 2.7; at least 2.8; at least 2.9; at least 3.0.

[0035] To reiterate, in all cases, the TPP rating to weight ratio of the garment composites of the present invention in the table is greater than that of the control garment composites in the same table, such as (i) at least 3% to 15% greater, 3% to 10% greater, 3% to 8% greater, 5% to 15% greater, 5% to 10% greater, 5% to 8% greater, and / or 10% to 15% greater, or (ii) at least 3% greater, at least 4% greater, at least 5% greater, at least 6% greater, at least 7% greater, at least 8% greater, at least 9% greater, at least 10% greater, at least 11% greater, at least 12% greater, at least 13% greater, at least 14% greater, and / or at least 15% greater, etc. This improvement is achieved by using cheaper and less protective fibers, which directly contradict conventional wisdom.

[0036] The garment composites according to embodiments of the present invention comply with the requirements of NFPA 1971, as well as the equivalent European standard EN 469 (2005): Protective Clothing for Firemen (and subsequent editions), and the equivalent international standard ISO 11999 (2015): PPE for firefighters - Test methods and requirements for PPE used by firefighters who are at risk of exposure to high levels of heat and / or flame while fighting fires occurring in structures (and subsequent editions). All of these are incorporated herein by reference. More specifically, they comply with the Heat Transfer Index (equivalent to the European TPP) when tested according to EN 367 (1992): Protective clothing; protection against heat and fire; method for determining heat transmission on exposure to flame and its essential equivalent EN ISO 9151 (2016): Protective clothing against heat and flame; determination of heat transmission on exposure to flame. All standards and subsequent editions referenced herein are incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] Therefore, less expensive thermal liners can be incorporated into turnout garments without sacrificing (and actually improving) the TPP performance of the garment composite. In any case, garment composites incorporating the embodiments of thermal liners intended herein will meet the TPP requirements of NFPA 1971 (and all other applicable requirements).

[0038] example

[0039] A collection of exemplary embodiments is provided below, including at least some explicitly listed as “Examples” to provide additional descriptions of various types of embodiments in accordance with the concepts described herein. These examples are not intended to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to these examples and encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of the published claims and their equivalents.

[0040] Example 1. A flame-retardant thermal liner comprising a flame-retardant face cloth and at least one nonwoven layer attached to the face cloth, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises heat-stable nylon fibers.

[0041] Example 2. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example of claim 1, or any combination thereof, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises two nonwoven layers, each containing thermally stable nylon fibers.

[0042] Example 3 A flame-retardant thermal liner according to any of the preceding or following examples or a combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises a first nonwoven layer and a second nonwoven layer, the first nonwoven layer comprising the heat-stable nylon fibers and the second nonwoven layer not comprising the heat-stable nylon fibers.

[0043] Example 4. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises at least 20% by weight of thermally stable nylon fibers.

[0044] Example 5. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or any combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer further comprises flame-retardant fibers.

[0045] Example 6. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer contains 30 to 80% by weight of flame-retardant fibers.

[0046] Example 7. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or following example or a combination of the examples, wherein the flame-retardant fibers include at least one of aramid fibers, modacrylic fibers, or flame-retardant cellulose fibers.

[0047] Example 8. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the flame-retardant fibers include para-aramid fibers, and the at least one nonwoven layer includes at least 20% by weight of para-aramid fibers.

[0048] Example 9. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein at least one nonwoven layer does not contain meta-aramid fibers.

[0049] Example 10. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises spunlace fabric.

[0050] Example 11. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises 40-70% by weight of thermally stable nylon fibers and 30-60% by weight of flame-retardant fibers.

[0051] Example 12. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the flame-retardant fibers include para-aramid fibers.

[0052] Example 13. A flame-retardant thermal liner according to either the preceding or succeeding example or a combination of the examples, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises 50-70% by weight of thermally stable nylon fibers and 30-50% by weight of flame-retardant fibers.

[0053] Example 14. A clothing composite comprising an outer shell layer including a flame-retardant fabric; a moisture barrier layer; and a thermal liner layer comprising a flame-retardant face cloth and at least one non-woven layer attached to the face cloth, wherein the at least one non-woven layer comprises thermally stable nylon fibers, the flame-retardant face cloth is exposed on a first face of the clothing composite, and the outer shell layer is exposed on a second face of the clothing composite opposite the first face.

[0054] Example 15. The clothing composite according to any preceding or subsequent example or combination of examples, having a thermal protection performance evaluation of at least 35 calories / cm 2 when tested according to ISO 17492.

[0055] Example 16. The clothing composite according to any preceding or subsequent example or combination of examples, having a thermal protection performance evaluation of at least 40 calories / cm 2 when tested according to ISO 17492.

[0056] Example 17. The clothing composite according to any preceding or subsequent example or combination of examples, having a thermal protection performance evaluation when tested according to ISO 17492, and the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation to the composite weight is between 2.0 and 3.0 (including both end values).

[0057] Example 18. The at least one non-woven layer further comprises flame-retardant fibers, the clothing composite has a thermal protection performance evaluation when tested according to ISO 17492, and the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation of the clothing composite to the composite weight is greater than the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation to the composite weight of a comparative clothing composite having at least one non-woven layer formed of 100% flame-retardant fibers and otherwise compositionally identical to the clothing composite.

[0058] Example 19. A garment composite according to any of the preceding or succeeding examples or a combination of examples, wherein the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation to the weight of the garment composite is at least 5% greater than the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation to the weight of the comparative garment composite.

[0059] Example 20. A nonwoven fabric formed from a fiber blend containing flame-retardant fibers and heat-stable nylon fibers.

[0060] Different arrangements of the components described above, as well as components and processes not shown or described, are possible. Similarly, several features and subcombinations are useful and can be used without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the present invention are described for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to the reader of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or shown in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A flame-retardant thermal liner comprising a flame-retardant face cloth and at least one nonwoven layer attached to the face cloth, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises heat-stable nylon fibers.

2. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises two nonwoven layers, each containing heat-stable nylon fibers.

3. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises a first nonwoven layer and a second nonwoven layer, the first nonwoven layer comprises the heat-stable nylon fibers, and the second nonwoven layer does not contain the heat-stable nylon fibers.

4. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises at least 20% by weight of thermally stable nylon fibers.

5. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 4, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer further comprises flame-retardant fibers.

6. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 5, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer contains 30 to 80% by weight of flame-retardant fibers.

7. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 6, wherein the flame-retardant fiber comprises at least one of aramid fiber, modacrylic fiber, or flame-retardant cellulose fiber.

8. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 5, wherein the flame-retardant fibers include para-aramid fibers, and the at least one nonwoven layer includes at least 20% by weight of para-aramid fibers.

9. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 5, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer does not contain meta-aramid fibers.

10. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer includes spunlace fabric.

11. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises 40 to 70% by weight of thermally stable nylon fibers and 30 to 60% by weight of flame-retardant fibers.

12. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 11, wherein the flame-retardant fiber includes para-aramid fiber.

13. The flame-retardant thermal liner according to claim 11, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises 50 to 70% by weight of thermally stable nylon fibers and 30 to 50% by weight of flame-retardant fibers.

14. It is a clothing composite, a. Outer shell layer containing flame-retardant fabric; b. Moisture barrier layer; and c. A thermal liner layer comprising a flame-retardant face cloth and at least one nonwoven layer attached to the face cloth, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer comprises heat-stable nylon fibers. Includes, The flame-retardant face cloth is exposed on the first surface of the garment composite, and the outer shell layer is exposed on the second surface of the garment composite opposite to the first surface. Clothing composite.

15. When tested according to ISO 17492, it is at least 35 calories / cm³. ２ The garment composite according to claim 14, having the thermal protection performance evaluation.

16. When tested in accordance with ISO 17492, the thermal protection performance rating is at least 40 calories / cm². ２ The clothing composite according to claim 15.

17. The garment composite according to claim 14, wherein the garment composite has a thermal protection performance rating when tested according to ISO 17492, and the ratio of the thermal protection performance rating to the weight of the composite is between 2.0 and 3.0 (including the values ​​at both ends).

18. The garment composite according to claim 14, wherein the at least one nonwoven layer further comprises flame-retardant fibers, and the garment composite has a thermal protection performance rating when tested according to ISO 17492, wherein the ratio of the thermal protection performance rating of the garment composite to the weight of the garment composite is greater than the ratio of the thermal protection performance rating to the weight of a comparative garment composite which has at least one nonwoven layer formed of 100% flame-retardant fibers but is otherwise compositionally identical to the garment composite.

19. The garment composite according to claim 18, wherein the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation to the weight of the garment composite is at least 5% greater than the ratio of the thermal protection performance evaluation to the weight of the garment composite of the comparative garment composite.

20. A nonwoven fabric formed from a fiber blend containing flame-retardant fibers and heat-stable nylon fibers.

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