Dyes for Cellulose

• Water soluble dyes, e.g. direct (substantive), reactive, and vat leuco
ester dyes.
• Water insoluble dyes, e.g. vat and Sulphur dyes, first transfer into
water soluble form.
• Insoluble colorants, e.g. colored pigments, require a binder to bind
onto fibers.
• Dyeing is the process of coloring textile materials by immersing them
in an aqueous solution of dye, called the liquor.
• Normally the dye liquor consists of dye, water and an auxiliary.
Dyes for Cellulose
• Direct dyes can be defined as water soluble, with the specific ability to
dye cellulose fibers without any special arrangements, that means
direct.
• There are no reactive groups, neither other chemically activated
substituents, nor special pretreatment of the fibers, e.g. in the form of
a mordant, are necessary.
• They have affinity for cellulose, therefore also known as substantive
dyes.
• They have poor wet colorfastness.
• Direct dyes can also dye wool, nylon.
Structural features of direct dyes
• Most commercial direct dyes belong to the azo series and can be
described by the following general formula

Direct Yellow 50

• Solvation in water is due to sulfonate groups (anion)

• Planar highly conjugated molecular structure
• Many direct dyes are sodium salts of sulphonic acids.
Dyeing with direct dyes
• Dissolving in the water
Dyeing with direct dyes
 Dyeing with direct dyes
Addition of salt: the
edition of electrolyte
to the dye liquor is
essential to obtain
adequate exhaustion
of the dye molecules
by the fiber polymer
system.

Application of the heat: to the dye liquor increases the

energy of the components of the dye liquor, swells the
fibers and accelerate the rate at which dyeing occurs.
Dyeing with direct dyes
Dyeing with direct dyes
Dyeing with direct dyes
Properties of direct dyes
• Light fastness
• Dyed and printed direct colors have a moderate light fastness, the light fastness
rating being about 3.
• Wash fastness
• The wash fastness rating of direct dyes is about 2-3. The comparatively poor wash
fastness of cellulosic textile materials dyed with direct dyes is due to
• Direct dyes anions are attached to the cellulose polymers by hydrogen bonds and van
der Waals forces both of which are weak. Which may be hydrolyzed by water
molecules resulting in the removal of these dyes from polymer.
• Relatively large no. of auxochrome in direct dye anion which contribute to poor wash
fastness.
Dyeing with direct dyes
Improving wash fastness
• All after treatments to improve wash fastness aim to increase the molecule size of the dye
molecule one it is located within the polymer system of the fiber.
• The large dye molecule size increases the forces of attraction between the dye molecule
and the polymer
• The increased molecular size makes it more difficult for the dye to be removed from the
polymer system.
• Some methods are
• Diazotisation: Increases the size of dye molecule, also changes the hue of color.
• Copper after treatment: Cu Forms a metal complex with dye, thus size increases.
• Cationic agent: cation attaches to the dye, which results increase in size. But light fastness decreases.
• Formaldehyde after treatment: dye molecules appear to be joined together by methylene cross links,
giving very large molecule complexes.
Questions
Dyeing with Reactive dyes
• Reactive dyes are so called because their molecules react chemically
with the fiber polymers to form a covalent bond between the dye
molecule and fiber polymer.
• Fibers, which are dyed with reactive dyes are
• Man made (acetate) and natural cellulosic fibers
• Synthetic nylon
• Natural protein fibers
• The covalent bond is formed between the dye molecules and the
terminal –OH group of cellulosic fibers or in case of protein fibers
–NH2 group of polyamide or wool fibers.
 Dyeing with Reactive dyes, reaction mechanism
Triazine Anchor

First step: Substantive absorption, like direct

dyes with salt (NaCl, Na2SO4). The dye diffuse
towards the interior of fiber, where it is absorb
by the cellulose chains by secondary type forces
Step two: Reaction in alkaline liquor with the
Dichlorotriazine, Procion Monochlorotriazine, Cibacron cellulose and water hydroxyl groups.
Cold reactive dyes (300 C) Hot reactive dyes (800 C) Step three: Elimination of the hydrolyzed dye
that is not fixed covalently to the cellulose.
Dyeing with Reactive dyes, reaction
mechanism

Hydrolyzed dye
Dyeing with Reactive dyes, reaction mechanism
Vinyl Sulphone dyes
Ramazol (400 C)
Dyeing with Reactive dyes
Dyeing with Reactive dyes
Properties of reactive dyes
• Lightfastness
• Have very good light fastness properties about 6.
• Wash fastness
• Have very good wash fastness properties about 4-5 because of strong bond.
• Effect of acids
• The formation of covalent bond between dye and fiber occurs under alkaline
conditions.
• Presence of acid may reverse this process. Perspiration and atmospheric
pollution which are both slightly acidic may affect textile materials color.
Questions