Novel synthesis and characterization of conductive and flame retardant textile fabrics

New smart flame retardant textile fabrics have been developed. Halloysite nanotubes have been used as flame retardant filler for textile fabrics. A facile and environmentally friendly vapor phase polymerization method was used for the polymerization of polypyrrole layer covering the surface of halloysite nanotubes and textile fabrics. The developed fabrics achieved interesting electrical conductivity properties. The electrical resistance of the developed one reached up to 0.21 kΩ compared with the 45,000 kΩ for blank textile fabrics, which represent the enhancement in the electrical conductivity of the new textile nanocomposites. The flame retardancy and thermal stability of the new textile nanocomposites were improved. The rate of burning was recorded as zero and 149.3 mm min−1 for developed textile nanocomposites and blank, respectively, achieving high class fire resistant fabrics. The electrical and flame retardancy properties were controlled by the preparation method. In addition, the mechanical properties of the developed fabrics were studied to achieve an enhancement in elongation. The blank and developed textiles were characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, thermal gravimetric analysis, mechanical testing and electrical resistivity measurements.