Nonlinear Imaging and Vibrational Spectroscopic Analysis of Cellulosic Fibres Treated with COEX® Flame-retardant for Tapestry Preservation

Overview

Journal RSC Adv

Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2022 Nov 2

PMID 36320843

Authors

Alice Dal Fovo

Jana Striova

Diego Quintero Balbas

Sara Mattana

Niccolo Tacconi

Riccardo Cicchi

Raffaella Fontana

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cellulose-based fabrics are widely used in the preservation and storage of historic tapestries. Their ease of flammability is a serious concern that greatly limits their applications and requires the development of effective and safe flame-retardant treatments. In this work, we analysed linen and cotton textile samples before and after COEX® treatment, a patented green technology imparting anti-flame properties by functionalizing the cellulose molecules with phosphorus and sulphur groups. Some of the samples were also exposed to photo-induced ageing after the treatment. The resulting structural and chemical changes in both fibres were characterized by nonlinear optical imaging modalities, namely Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) and Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence microscopies (TPEF), and Raman and Attenuated Total Reflection - Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopies. Complementary results evidenced a reduction in microfibril crystallinity, attributed mainly to the reduction of hydrogen bonding among cellulose macromolecules, with a concomitant increase in fluorescence possibly due to the introduction of ester groups into cellulose chains and to decomposition of lignin into fluorescent by-products.

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