Recyclable carpet with lower amounts of flame retardants

The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research (DITF) and the Institut für Bodensysteme (Institute for Soil Systems, or TFI) have developed a concept that reduces the number of flame retardants in carpet yarns while maintaining the same high level of retardancy. The yarn is also fully recyclable. 

Researchers spun the material into fibers on a bicomponent spinning machine at DITF’s pilot plant. Each fiber contains a core of polyamide and a sheath of polyamide 6 (PA6) that has been chemically bonded with a flame-retardant phosphorus compound. This means the flame retardant cannot be washed out or emitted into the environment. Its core ensures good spinnability and sufficient strength.  

TFI is developing the carpet to have a textile backing with a coating that, when heated, separates the top and bottom layers to allow each piece to be recycled. 

As the flame retardant is on the surface of the fiber, the yarn is cheaper to produce because the expensive flame retardant is added to only part of the fiber volume. As a result, the research project could lead to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly production of commercial carpets.