Wool is a naturally made and very versatile fabric. Its characteristics are soft and luxurious so many people use it. Then, is wool flammable?
This is because many people believe it is difficult to burn and melt wool. If you want to know the answer to whether is wool flammable, this article will review it below:
Contents
Is Wool Flammable?
Most wool is made by shearing sheep and then going through a cleaning process. Then, the products are sorted by fleece grade and flattened using a large metal machine, and woven into yarn.
Wool can burn but because of its cellular structure, it is more likely that wool will extinguish a blazing fire. Then, wool is naturally hydrophilic, which makes it hard to burn.
Also, wool has a high water and nitrogen content making it difficult to keep a flame burning. In other words, wool need a large amount of oxygen to sustain a flame.
So, is wool flammable? The answer is no because wool is categorized as a flame-resistant fabric. However, the textile is flammable but must reach a certain degree Fahrenheit.
Does Wool Burn?
As discussed earlier if wool can catch fire. However, when you remove the wool from the heat source, the fire will extinguish itself.
Then, wool is unlikely to burn for long because to keep the fire burning, wool requires a lot of oxygen. Moreover, many people working with fire or near explosives use wool as protective gear because of how difficult it is to burn the wool.
What Properties Does Wool Have That Make It So Safe?
Naturally, wool is flame resistant, making it the right choice for you. The following are some of the properties that wool has that make it safe for you to use:
- The ignition temperature of wool is very high, ranging from 1,058 F to 1112 F.
- Wool requires a lot of oxygen to burn because wool has a high water and nitrogen content. The fire in the wool will not burn for long even if you ignite the wool from a strong heat source.
- When the wool is smoldering, it releases some heat.
- Wool has a fiber structure that is good at creating an insulating layer. This is useful for dampening the fire and preventing the spread of fire.
- Even at high temperatures, the wool will not melt, stick, or drip.
How Does Wool Compare to Other Flame Resistant Fabrics?
You can’t compare wool with natural and synthetic fabrics because it has a high burning point. Then, wool is also not the only textile that is resistant to high temperatures.