Characteristics of dyes

Prepared by:
Muhammad Ismail Ab Kadir
In order for a colored chemical to serve as a useful
dye it should have the following features:
• Intense color
• Solubility in water
• Substantivity to the fiber
• Durability to wet treatments
• Durability to further treatments in
production and normal use
• Safe, easy to handle and reasonable
priced
 Intense color

• Bright shades are preferred since duller shades can be

made by mixing the brighter ones
• Small amounts of dyes are sufficient to obtain the
desired shades because adding large quantities of
chemicals or finishes to textiles may impair their handle,
appearance, etc.
• In practise the increase in weight of fibers by dyeing is
between of 0.1% - 3%
Solubility in water

• Dyes are soluble or dispersible in water – at least some

solubility or able to be converted temporarily into a
soluble form
• Water is the vehicle of exhaust dyeing – carries the dyes
to the fibers
• Dyes that form true solutions are in the proper state of
single molecules and are ready to be absorbed by the
fibers
• But some soluble dyes tend to form small aggregates (a
few molecules grouped together). These aggregates
eventually dissociste into single molecules which can then
diffuse into fibers
• In contrast, disperse dyes are sparingly soluble in
water. They require a surfactant (dispersing agent)
to form cloudy dispersions.
• In dispersion, disperse dyes are in the form of
extremely fine particles, each consist of hundreds
or thousands of molecules grouped together,
capable of staying in water for a limited time only.
• Their solubility increases with increasing
temperature
Substantivity to the fiber
• The affinity that a dye has to a particular fiber is
referred to by the dyers as substantivity.
• This affinity is necessary to drive the dye
molecules from the dyebath onto the fibers.
• The substantivity of a dye to a fiber must be
much stronger than its affinity to water.
• Therefore using dyes with high substantivity will
increase the yeild of dyeing.
Durability to wet treatments
• The dyes must posses the ability to
become durable to wet treatments.
• A high substantivity can sometimes
provide sufficient durability of the color to a
limited number of mild washings.
• In many cases, however, an additional
after-treatment is needed to obtained the
required fastness.
Durability to further treatments in
production and normal use
• Dyes should have fastness to further treatments
in production and normal use.
• For example, durable press finishes usually
follow dyeing of cellulose containing fabrics. In
this case, the dye should be capable to withstand
the low pH and the high temperature of the
durable press process.
• In addition, dyes should have adequate fastness
to sunlight, bleaching, perspiration, etc.
Safe, easy to handle and reasonable
price
• Choose a group of dyes that best
compromise the properties necessary for
the particular textile product.