Wet Process Engineering-I

Introduction of Dyeing

Dyeing:
Dyeing is defined as the process by which uniform color is produced on the textile materials by
immersing them in an aqueous solution of dye (dye liquor). Normally the dye liquor consists of
dye, water and dye auxiliaries. The main object of dyeing of textile materials is to make the
material suitable for various usages by increasing their effectiveness.

Dyes and pigments:

Dyes and pigments (both are known as coloring matter) are substances that impart color to a
material. They are responsible for the color of dyed and printed textile fiber materials.
By definition dyes can be said to be colored, inorganic or aromatic organic compounds which
shows an affinity towards the material (textile fiber) in which it is being applied. On the other
hands, pigments are also the colored compounds but they have no affinity towards the substrate
in which they are incorporates. The major difference between dyes and pigments is in their
solubility (the tendency to dissolve in a liquid, especially in water). Dyes are usually soluble or
can be made to be soluble in water. In application, at first dye is dissolved in water, the material
to be dyed can be immersed in the dye solution. As the material soaks, absorbs dye and dries, it
develops a color. But pigments are generally not soluble in water, oil or other common solvents.
Pigments do not migrate or bleed. To be applied to the material, pigments are first ground in to a
fine powder and thoroughly mixed with some liquid, the dispersing agent or vehicle. The
pigment dispersing agent is then spread on the material to be colored. As the dispersing agent
and other chemicals dries out, the pigment is held in place on the material. In most cases, dyes
are used for textiles, paper and other substances, while pigments are used for coloring inks,
cosmetics, plastics and in coating applications.

Coloring matters are colored because they contain at least one of each of the radicals called
chromophore and auxochrome.

Chromophore: The chromophore is a color bearing unit which gives the dye molecule its
particular color. The name chromophore is derived from the Greek chroma means color and
phore from pherein means to bear. Chromophores are unsaturated organic radicals. Their specific
state of unsaturation (more specifically, the loosely held electrons in the unsaturated bonds)
makes them enable to absorb and reflect incident electro- magnetic radiation within the very
narrow band of visible light. A molecule containing no chromophores would be colorless.
Typical examples of chromophore are given below:

̶ N=N̶ ̶ NO2 ̶ N= O
Azo group Nitro group Nitroso group

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Auxochrome: The word auxochrome is derived from two roots. The prefix auxo from Greek
auxein means to increase and chroma means color. Auxochromes are organic radicals and fulfils
the following functions:

1. Auxochrome intensifies and deepens the hue of the dye molecules color. Without
auxochrome, a dye molecule would be lack intensity of color.
2. Auxochromes makes the dye molecules more water soluble. This is because,
auxochromes tend to be polar and this polarity increases the overall polarity of the dye
molecule and makes it more readily soluble in water.
3. The polarity of auxochromes also increases the forces of attraction between the dye
molecules and the fiber polymers. This improves the fastness properties of the dyed or
printed fabric.

There are mainly two types of auxochromes:

 Acidic: ̶ COOH (Carboxyl group)

̶ SO3H (Sulphonic group)
 Basic: ̶ NH2 (Amino group)
̶ OH (Hydroxyl group)

Classification of dyes:

Coloring matters

Dyes Pigments

Vat Azoic Phthalo cyanine Mineral

Ready made dyes Ingrain dyes

Azoic Oxidation colors Mineral colors

Water soluble Water insoluble

Direct Acid Basic Reactive Vat Sulphur Disperse

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General theory of dyeing:
A simple method of applying dyes to cotton fibers involves the dissolution of dyes in water,
entering the fiber material in the dye solution and slowly heating the system when the dye
dissolved in water is gradually transferred to the fiber because of the higher affinity of the dye to
the fiber. The above principle is applicable for water soluble dyes. In case of water insoluble
dyes, before dyeing, these insoluble dyes have to be temporarily converted in to a water soluble
form and after dyeing, should be converted in to their original insoluble form. The forces which
anchor dyestuff molecules to textile fibers are complex and the study of them are going on. The
whole process of dyeing consists of three stages:

1. Migration of the dye from the dye liquor to the interface accompanied by adsorption on
the surface of the fabric.
2. Diffusion of the dye molecules from the fabric surface towards the centre of the fibers.
3. The anchoring or fixing of the dye molecules to the fibers by covalent or hydrogen bonds
or other forces of physical nature.

Difference between dye and pigment:

Dye Pigment

1. Most dyes are water soluble (except water 1. Pigments are water insoluble.
insoluble dyes).

2. No binding agent is required. 2. Binding agent is required.

3. Good affinity to textile materials. 3. No affinity to textile materials.

4. Dye diffusion in the fabric 4. Dye diffusion on the fabric.

5. Costly because all the dyestuff are the result 5. Cheap as they found by mineral origin.
of chemical reaction.

Dye auxiliaries:
These chemical compounds includes wetting agents, carriers or swelling agents, dye retarding or
levelling agent, antifoaming agents, anticreasing agent, electrolytes and dispersing agent.

Wetting agent: A type of chemical which helps the water to penetrate a material or to form a
film over its surface; usually it is a surfactant. Wetting agents are generally used in the dyeing
process where it helps the dye solution to penetrate in to the individual fibers.

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Carriers or swelling agents: Carriers are added to the dye liquor to improve the dye take up for
crystalline fibers such as polyester. During polyester dyeing without carriers, only pale or light
colors can be achieved by aqueous dyeing because of their highly crystalline structure. Carriers
help to swell the fiber and make it easier for the dye molecule to enter in to the polymer chain.

Levelling agent: Levelling agent is used in coloration process to produce a more uniform color
over the whole surface of the fabric by controlling the dyeing rate. Levelling agents which tends
to reduce the dye uptake of the fibers, are also named retarding agent. These are surfactants or
mixtures of surfactants, based on polyethylene oxides and may also contain cationic agents. This
chemicals form complexes with many types of anionic dyes. Complex formation at relatively
low temperatures reduces the concentration of the free dye in the bath so that the rate of dyeing is
reduced. The dye- auxiliary complex molecule is too large to penetrate into the fibers pores. The
surfactants in these products disperse the dye- auxiliary complex and prevent its precipitation. As
the dyeing temperature increases, the dye- auxiliary complex gradually breaks up, liberating
more free dye, which is then available for dyeing.

Antifoaming agent: Antifoaming agents help to prevent the foam formation in the dye bath.
Antifoaming agent also known as defoaming agent.

Anticreasing agent: Anticreasing agents usually used in the dye bath to prevent crease formation
on the fabric surface.

Dispersing agent: Dispersing agent is used in the disperse dyeing process to distribute the
dyestuffs in the dye liquor.

Electrolytes: The addition of an electrolyte to the anionic dye liquor increases the take-up by the
fiber. The use of electrolytes such as sodium chloride or sodium sulphate means that one of the
dissociation products is sodium ions (Na+). Sodium ions are cationic and in the dye liquor are
attracted to the negatively charged textile fibers. As a result, the sodium cations neutralize the
anionic surface charge of the fibers by forming a layer of Na+ (10 nm thick) on the surface of the
fibers. The neutralized fibers can now attract the organic dye molecules which have greater
affinity to the fibers than the aqueous solution. By applying heat to the dye liquor, the migration
of the dye from the liquor to the fibers can be accelerated

For contact:

Md. Mostafizur Rahman

Assistant Professor, DTE, WUB
rahman6@textiles.wub.edu.bd
01779573327

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