Preparation and properties of stainless steel filament/pure cotton woven fabric

The flame-retardant cotton fabric used for welding protective clothing in the market exhibits insufficient melt hole resistance. We evaluated the stainless steel filament fabric for flame retardancy and melt hole resistance and found that it lacked sufficient comfort. A stainless steel filament and a cotton yarn were plied and twisted together and then woven following a set of specifications. The fabric was finished with a flame retardant, and its performance and flame retardancy were determined. The results indicate that the twist direction during ply twisting affects the fabric performance. Relative to the pure cotton fabric, the stainless steel filament/cotton composite fabric exhibits reduced comfort properties, such as moisture permeability and air permeability, but the mechanical properties and flame retardancy are improved. Ply twisting a stainless steel filament and a pure cotton yarn with an S twist presents certain advantages in enhancing the comprehensive performance of the fabric and exhibits potential for advancements in welding protective clothing.