Are you aware of all the variants of inherent FR fibers on the market? Then you might have come across modacrylic fibers. Inherent FR fabrics made with these fibers are worth investigating if you care for safe, comfortable protective clothing with the right quality/price ratio. In this blog, I will tell you more about this type of inherent FR fiber. I will also help you determine if the use of modacrylic fibers could innovate and improve your protective clothing.
First things first: what are modacrylic fibers?
Modacrylic fibers are high performing synthetic fibers that are flame resistant. This results in robust resistance against electric arc and flash-fires. That is why they are commonly used in work environments like the energy utility sector or – increasingly – in the petrochemical sector. Today, modacrylics are less used in work environments with welding and grinding risks.
But what exactly makes modacrylic fibers so interesting as a inherent FR fiber? Unlike other inherent FR fires, modacrylics can be blend with natural fibers, such as cotton or lyocell. In a blend, modacrylic fibers are able to extract oxygen from other non-FR fibers. This means they are not only able to protect themselves but also protect the other fibers in the blend from overheating and eventually burning. Another benefit is that the fiber is easy do dye, which benefits the durability to wash the fabric.
So, why should you consider modacrylic fibers in inherent fr fabrics?
Thanks to their ability to guard fibers that do not have FR properties, modacrylics are the only inherent FR fibers that can be blended with non-FR fibers. By blending the fiber, you can make use of the advantages of each fiber which results in a stronger fabric or a fabric with excellent moisture management for example.
The most common blend is modacrylic and cotton. In more advanced blends, modacrylics are being used together with lyocell, aramids and other synthetic fibers like nylon. The blend with cotton, for example, creates a more comfortable fabric due to the comfort properties of cotton. Who knows what the future holds in blending fibers that offer even better options when it comes to comfort.
Modacrylics blended fabrics are not fully synthetic, which means they have good comfort properties in terms of moisture management in comparison with other inherent FR fabrics. On top of that: modacrylics are in terms of price/quality the best ratio on the inherent FR market.
As you can see, modacrylics have a lot of advantages that we can summarize as follows:
- Extremely flame resistant
- The possibility to blend with all kinds of non-FR fibers in order to enhance the properties such as strength and comfort
- Within blends, it scores high at comfort
- Durable to wash
- Best price/quality ratio on the market of inherent FR fibers
If modacrylic fibers in inherent FR fabrics match the risk environment of your company, it is definitely worth considering when re-evaluating your protective clothing.
Are you curious how modacrylic fibers can benefit your protective clothing?
The development of modacrylics offers a new and interesting alternative in the protective fabrics landscape. Depending on your specific needs, modacrylic fibers could offer an interesting alternative to other inherent FR fibers. Are you interested how modacrylics could help you innovate and improve your companies’ protective clothing? Then do not hesitate to ask advice from our protective clothing experts. Schedule here an appointment with one of our specialists to get objective and customized advice.
