The objective of this work was to investigate plasma modification of viscose for environmentally friendly flame-retardant cellulosic materials. Sodium silicate layers were predeposited onto viscose and cotton flannel substrates and grafted/crosslinked using atmospheric pressure plasma. The modified cellulosic fabrics tested with the automated 45 degrees angle test chamber showed significant improvement in their flame-retardant properties. Analysis conducted by TGA and DSC exhibited enhanced thermal stability of the treated fabrics. Furthermore, the surface analysis (XPS and SEM) confirmed the presence of the SiO2 network attached to the substrate even after intense ultrasound washes. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012