Basic Concept of Textile Dyeing

What is Dye and Dyeing?

Dyestuff is organic or inorganic substances which can absorb light and reflect some lights to show color. Actually, the dyestuff is water soluble substances. Pigment is a substance that can absorb light and reflect some lights to show color but it is water insoluble substances. Normally it is used for printing (with the presence of binder)or mass-coloration of the synthetic fibers.

The process in the course of which, a textile material placed in contact with the solution or dispersion of a dye, absorbs the said dye in such a way that the dyed material opposes a certain resistance to releasing the dye from the material in which it has been absorbed.

Phases in Dyeing:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Disaggregation of the dye Exhaustion Movement of the dye from dye-bath towards the textile material Adsorption of the dye on the surface of the textile material Diffusion/absorption/penetration of the dye within the textile material Fixation of the dye in the textile material

Effect of physical structure of the fiber on dyeing:

Fiber molecules are grouped in the form of linear polymeric chains

Generally these linear chains of polymers are oriented along the axis of fibriller filaments Dyeability of fibers depends on the orientation of these molecular chains

Effect of physical structure of the fiber on dyeing:

In crystalline regions of the fiber, the chains are highly oriented posing difficulties in the dye penetration In amorphous regions of the fiber, the chains are less oriented posing less difficulties in the dye penetration Amorphous regions may be considered functioning as pores, thus allowing the dye penetration The size of the fiber pores in relation with the size of the dye molecule determines the ease of penetration

Effect of physical structure of the fiber on dyeing:

The size of pores in some fibers increases due to fiber swelling in the presence of water, thus further facilitating the dye penetration Pore size of dry viscose rayon fibers is 5 A while 20-30 A when wet Pore size of different cellulosic fibers range from 20-100 A Porosity of viscose rayon > mercerized cotton > Un-mercerized cotton In the same dyeing bath, colour intensity of viscose rayon > mercerized cotton > Un-mercerized cotton

Effect of physical structure of the fiber on dyeing:

Pore size of wool fiber in dry state is 6A which increases to 41A when wet Synthetic fibers have high orientation and crystallinity and poor swelling in wet state; consequently dye penetration is comparatively difficult in synthetic dyes

Effect of dye/fiber chemical structure on dyeing of cellulosic fibers:

General factors for substantivity of dyes with cellulosic fibers

1. Dye structure linearity Linear dyes have higher substantivity than the branched Coplanarity Dyes having coplanar aromatic nuclei have higher substantivity Capability to form hydrogen bonds Separation of hydrogen bond-capable entities by a distance of 10.3 Angstrom or a multiple thereof Existence of a system of conjugated double bonds The presence of solublizing (sulphonic or carboxylic) groups in the minimum possible quantity