Wool/para-aramid fibres blended in spun yarns as heat and fire resistant fabrics

Knitted textiles, obtained with yarn-by-yam blending of wool and poly-p-phenylenediamine-terephthalamide (PPTA) high performance fibres, allow improved fire retardance performance and thermal stability by synergistic effects. Blends of wool with PPTA fibres in spun yarns (intimate mixing) are studied in order to investigate better synergistic effects due to the intimate contact between fibres. Those yarns, made and knitted in our laboratory, give exceptional results according to RHR (rate of heat release) peak and thermal stability. A mechanism of action explaining the enhanced performance is proposed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.