In this study, a reactive boron-containing flame retardant (FR) namely glycerol borate citric acid ester (GBCAE) was synthesized using boric acid, glycerol and citric acid, and was applied to improve the flame retardancy of silk fabric. The chemical structure of GBCAE and its potential cross-linking reactions with silk fiber were characterized. The thermal stability, smoke and heat suppression capacity and FR ability of the treated silk were evaluated. The treated silk fabrics with a weight gain of higher than 7.3% had self-extinguishing ability. The FR treatment endowed high thermal stability and excellent flame retardancy to silk, and suppressed the smoke and heat release of silk by nearly 50%. The treated silk could still self-extinguish after 5 washing cycles and showed good washing durability, which is attributed to the covalent cross-linking action between GBCAE and silk fiber. The char residue analyses on morphology and functional groups indicated the intumescent FR mechanism for the treated silk. The prepared GBCAE has great potential to serve as suitable alternative to toxic halogen-based agents for improving the flame retardancy of silk textiles

在这项研究中，使用硼酸，甘油和柠檬酸合成了一种反应性的含硼阻燃剂（FR），即硼酸柠檬酸甘油酯（GBCAE），并被用于改善真丝织物的阻燃性。表征了GBCAE的化学结构及其与丝纤维的潜在交联反应。评价了处理后的蚕丝的热稳定性，排烟和抑热能力以及FR能力。增重高于7.3％的处理过的丝织物具有自熄能力。阻燃处理赋予丝绸高的热稳定性和优异的阻燃性，并将丝绸的烟雾和热量释放抑制了近50％。经过5次洗涤后，经处理的蚕丝仍能自熄，并显示出良好的洗涤耐久性，这归因于GBCAE和丝纤维之间的共价交联作用。炭渣的形态和官能团分析表明，处理后的蚕丝具有膨胀型FR机制。制备的GBCAE具有很大的潜力，可以用作有毒卤素基试剂的合适替代品，以改善丝绸纺织品的阻燃性