• A green, aqueous-synthesized melamine Schiff base (MSB) was designed and combined with DOPO, constructing a novel synergistic flame-retardant system for PET fabric. • The treated fabric achieved superior flame retardancy: LOI surged to 31.4%, damaged length decreased from30 cm to 8.1 cm, and melt-dripping was completely suppressed. • Exceptional washing durability was demonstrated: only 11.7 cm char length with no after-flame/dripping after 50 laundering cycles. • A dual-phase (condensed & gas) flame-retardant and anti-dripping mechanism was elucidated, revealing the P-N synergistic essence. • Powerful antibacterial function was imparted while retaining the fabric’s mechanical properties and air/moisture permeability.
Zheng et al. (2026) studied this question.