Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>An outline is given of the developments and the present knowledge of the flame resistance of fibres. The principles of flame‐resistance are only partly – mainly qualitatively – understood. There is certainly room for much more fundamental research.</jats:p><jats:p>The development of flame‐ resistant textile fibres was a highly pragmatic one. Further progress will be largely determined by public regulations and legislations.</jats:p><jats:p>In the field of flame‐retarding additives to existing materials a number of spectacular successes have been achieved, but they relate mainly to cellulose fibres.</jats:p><jats:p>The development of new flame‐resistant synthetic fibres has made great progress in the last ten years. A very interesting new achievement is the development of a nonflammable chelated polymer, poly‐(terephthaloyl‐oxalic‐bisamidrazone), which is here described for the first time and which may well prove to be the first representative of a new class of polymers in the market.</jats:p>