Investigation of Flammability of Protective Clothing System for Firefighters

Abstract

The main characteristic of clothing for protection against heat and flame is the protection of users from external influences and danger in the conditions of elevated temperatures and exposure to flame, fire, smoke, and water. The paper presents research on the clothing system for protection against heat and flame using a fire manikin and systematically analyses the damage caused after testing. As part of the damage analysis, the existence of microdamage and impurities on the clothing system was determined using a USB Dino-Lite microscope. In addition, the intensities and composition of gaseous decomposition products during the thermogravimetric analysis of samples were investigated. The results of the research using a fire manikin showed that the user of the examined clothing system would not have sustained injuries dangerous to health and life, which confirmed the protective properties. The results of the TG-FTIR indicate that the decomposition of the fabric sample of the modacrylic–cotton fiber mixture takes place in three stages, and the identified gaseous degradation products were H2O, CO2, and CO.