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Introduction to Textile Dyeing

Assistant ProIessor Dr. Apichart Sonthisombat,
Rajamangala Institute oI Technology
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Basic Textile Terms and Definitions
Dyestuff is organic or inorganic substances
which can absorb light and reIlect some lights
to show color. Actually, the dyestuII is water
soluble substances.
Pigment is a substance that can absorb light
and reIlect some lights to show color but it is
water insoluble substances. Normally it is
used Ior printing (with the presence oI binder)
or mass-coloration oI the synthetic Iibers.
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Staining is an unpleasant oI dyeing in the
area that we do not want.
Exhaustion oI the dyestuII to the Iibers is as
Iollows:
1. Moving oI dyestuII Irom dyebath to
surIace oI the Iiber
2. Adsorption oI the dyestuII into the surIace
oI the Iiber
3. DiIIusion oI the dyestuII into the center oI
the Iiber
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Classification of Dyestuffs
DyestuIIs can be classiIied by many methods
as Iollows:
1. by their ionic (e.g. cationic, anionic and
non-ionic)
2. by their Iiber dyeabilities (e.g. on
cellulosic, protein, polyester, polyamide etc.)
3. by their names (e.g. acid, direct, disperse,
reactive, basic etc.)
4. by their chemical structures (e.g. azo,
anthraquinone, stilbene etc.)
5. by their origins (e.g. natural, synthetic)
6. by their colors (e.g. red, green, black etc.)
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Dyeing Processes can be applied in many
stages such as
1. Mass-coloration oI the molten Iibers
This method is Ior dyeing the molten
Iibers or plastic chips or textile polymers
with pigment dyes. AIter that, the molten
or polymers will extrude Irom a spinneret
to Iorm Iibers.
Normally, the synthetic Iibers are added
with white pigment in order to give a
hiding power (non-see through Iabrics).
Advantage: give excellent Iastness
Disadvantage: very diIIicult to clean
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2. Fiber Dyeing is the method oI dyeing
Iibers beIore blending with other colors to
give Iancy yarns or Iabrics.
Note: This is used Ior special purposes only.
3. Yarn Dyeing is the method oI dyeing
yarns in Iorms oI hanks or packages dyeing.
This will give Scottish`s style Iabrics, carpet
with many colors and styles.
Note: This is used in hand loom weaving in
the Northern and North-eastern parts oI
Thailand.
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4. Fabric Dyeing is the method aIter
weaving, knitting, or non-woven to make
Iabrics. This is very popular method oI
dyeing as the dyed Iabrics will be processed
Iurther to garment industries very easily.
Dyeing forms oI the Iabric dyeing can be
used in 2 ways:
1. Open width Iorm using the Iabrics to
spread without any creases and dye them.
2. Rope Iorm using the Iabrics with the
Iorm like a rope (many creases and look
like 'a rope)
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Some people classiIy into:
1. Exhaustion Process
This method is using lot oI water as shown
in 'Liquor Ratio (ratio between water and
goods) This should immerge the goods
into dye solution Ior a long time in order to
let the dye penetrate into the goods. This
will lead to produce more waste water than
the continuous process.
Advantage: inexpensive, no need to train the
worker to look aIter and run them properly.
Disadvantage: lots oI water needed, very
slow process (60-120 min/batch.)
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2. Continuous Process
This method is designed by putting diIIerent
machinery into a sequence so that it can
produce the dyed Iabric in one pass.
Advantage: very Iast process (10-100
m/min), small amount oI water in the
process.
Disadvantage: very expensive, need to train
the worker to look aIter and run them
properly.
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Examples oI the open
width Iorm Iabric
dyeing
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Examples oI the rope
Iorm Iabric dyeing
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6. Garment Dyeing
This method is the last process oI the
dyeing oI goods. However, the penetration
oI the dye solution may not be completely
passed to the Iibers such as between the
seams, buttons, zippers etc. Normally, it is
used Ior lingerie, socks, sweater dyeing etc.
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Name oI DyestuIIs Fibers that can be dyed
Acid Silk, wool, polyamide,
leather
Basic Acrylic
Direct Cellulosic, viscose
Disperse Acetate, triacetate,
polyamide, polyester,
acrylic
Reactive Cellulosic, viscose,
protein
Vat Cellulosic
Sulphur Cellulosic
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Factors that give some choices of the
dyestuffs
1. Cheap
2. Non-toxic
3. Compatible to other dyes and chemicals
4. High color strength
5. Better brightness
6. Better Iastness
7. Good levelness on the materials
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Dyes for Cellulosic Fibers
Direct Dyes (Anionic)
They can be dyed directly on cellulosic
Iibers. Without the presence oI salt, when
the Iibers are immerged in water, it will show
anionic charge which repels the dyes.
Adding salt into the dye bath, it will reduce
anionic on the Iibers so the dyes can get
closer and adsorb into the Iibers.
Advantage: cheap, easily dyed on Iibers
Disadvantage: poor wet Iastness and some
dyes have poor light Iastness.
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Textile Auxiliaries
1. Salt - reduce negative charges on the Iibers
2. Water - dyeing media
3. Fixing Agent - enhance wet Iastness but
usually reduce light Iastness
Dyeing Conditions (Exhaustion)
dyeing 100oC x 30-90 min
Iixing 60oC x 20 min
(Continuous)
pad --~ dry --~ steam --~ wash --~ soap --~
dry
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Reactive Dyes (Anionic)
They can be dyed on cellulosic Iibers. The
mechanism is nearly the same as described in
Direct dyes.
Advantage: high wet Iastness due to covalent
bonding (Chemical Bonding) between Iibers
and dyes, easily dyed on Iibers
Disadvantage: Expensive
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Dyeing Conditions
1. Continuous Process
1.1 Pad-dry-bake
This is very easy method Ior cotton or cotton
blends Iibers.
1.2 Pad-dry-Pad (Chemical)-Steam
This will give brighter and more intense
color than method 1.1.
1.3 Pad-batch
This will put the goods into the dye solution
and squeeze with 2 rubber rollers to get rid oI
excess water and then batch at room
temperature Ior 1-2 days.
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2. Exhaustion Process
This method will be used in small Iactory.
Dyeing conditions will be 40-80oC Ior 30-90
min depending to the types and structures oI
the dyes.
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Textile Auxilaries
1. Salt - reduce negative charges on the Iibers
2. Water - dyeing media
3. Soda Ash - excite the dye to link with the
Iibers with covalent bonding. ThereIore, it
enhances wet Iastness
4. Fixing Agent - enhance wet Iastness Ior
heavy shade but usually reduce light Iastness.
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Vat Dye (Anionic when soluble)
The dye is named Irom the container (Vat)
that used Ior rotting the dye with alkali
solution. This crucial process will reduce the
dye Irom insoluble to soluble dye (suitable
Ior exhaustion in the cellulosic Iibers). Now
the manuIacturer can synthesize man-made
vat dye.
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Dyeing Process
1. Dissolve dye into water (insoluble dye)
2. Vatting process by reducing the insoluble
dye in alkali condition. (soluble dye)
3. Absorb into Iibers (soluble dye)
4. AIter dyeing, oxidize the dye with
oxidizing agent (insoluble dye)
5. Wash and soap the goods
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Dyeing Conditions
1. Continuous Process
1.1 Pad-dry-Pad (Chemical)
The solution oI the dye is prepared without
adding reducing agent to ensure leveling
dyeing. AIter that, the goods are passed to
chemical bath to reduce the dye into soluble
dye and Iix within the goods. Oxidizing
agent is added to the goods and converted to
insoluble dyes.
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1.2 Pad-oxidize-pad-oxidize (many times)
This will put the goods into the dye solution
and squeeze with 2 rubber rollers to get rid oI
excess water, oxidize with the air and then
immerse into the dye solution again and
again to allow the dye penetrate into the
goods.
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Textile Auxilaries
1. Salt - reduce the negative charges on the
Iibers
2. Sodium hydroxide - adjust pH to the
dyeing bath and make the suitable conditions
Ior reducing agent.
3. Sodium hydrosulIite - reducing agent Ior
the vat dyes.
4. Water - dyeing media
5. Oxidizing agents - (Hydrogen peroxide or
Acetic acid or Air) oxidize the soluble to
insoluble dye
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Sulfur Dye (Anionic when soluble)
The dyeing process has the same process as
described in the vat dye except that using
Sodium sulIide instead oI Sodium
hydrosulIide.
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Dyes for Synthetic Fiber
Disperse Dye (polyester, nylon, and acetate)
(non-ionic)
The dye is named Irom less water soluble
and normally appeared in dispersion in
water. The dye shows no charge due to the
groups presented in the dye molecules.
Dyeing Conditions
Insoluble
dye in
water
Less water
soluble
Water insoluble
in polyester
Iibers
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1. Exhaustion Process
1.1 At boil with carrier
This process is suitable Ior acetate Iiber and
pale shade polyester Iiber dyeing. Carrier is
an auxiliary Ior swollen Iiber in order to
allow more dyes absorbing in. Now the use
oI carrier is reduced because it may be a
carcinogen.
1.2 At 130oC without carrier
With the high temperature, the dyes will be
dissolved into smaller molecules and the void
in Iiber structure will be opened. This will
give heavy shade.
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2. Continuous Process
Pad --~ Pre-dry (100oC x 30 sec) --~
ThermoIixation (180oC x 30 sec) --~
reduction clearing (RC) --~ wash --~ dry
Printing with Disperse Dyes
With the sublimation property, the dyes can
be printed on paper, place the Iabric with a
printed paper and then using an iron with
high temperature pressed on the paper. The
dyes will transIer Irom paper to polyester
Iiber. This is called 'TransIer Printing.
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Textile Auxilaries
1. Dispersing Agent - make the dye solution
stable and disperse in the dye bath.
2. Acid - adjust pH to the suitable condition
Ior the dye bath.
3. Carrier - swell the Iiber and dissolve the
dye to make the dye getting into Iiber.
4. Leveling agent - make more leveling
dyeing (some will have adverse eIIect on
slower dyeing)
5. Water - dyeing media
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Reduction Clearing (R.C.)
AIter dyeing process, the dyed goods should
be removed excess dyes on the Iiber surIace.
R.C. will give higher washing and rubbing
Iastness oI the dyed goods.
Using alkali solution, sodium hydrosulIide
and dispersing agent, the R.C. will be done at
60oC x 20 min.
Note: Do not use more than the
recommended temperature because sodium
hydrosulIide can be decomposed.
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Acid Dye (Anionic)
The dye is called acid because it needs acidic
dyeing condition. It can be dyed on protein
Iibers (silk, wool, other animal Iibers) and on
polyamide Iibers.
Acidic condition will give the Iibers showing
positive charge. As the negative charge will
attach directly to positive charge, and
penetrate into the Iibers.
Dyeing conditions
100oC x 30-60 min
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Textile Auxiliaries
1. Leveling agent - Ior levelness dyeing
2. Retarding agent - Ior inhibiting the dye not
attach to Iibers too Iast
3. Acid - adjust the dyeing condition and
make the Iibers to show positive charges
4. Water - dyeing media
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Basic Dye (Cationic)
The dye shows positive charge. Normally,
the dye can be applied on wool, silk and
polyacrylonitrile (acrylic).
Dyeing Conditions
100oC x 30-60 min
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Textile Auxiliaries
1. Leveling agent - Ior levelness dyeing
2. Retarding agent - Ior inhibiting the dye not
attach to Iibers too Iast
3. Acid - adjust the dyeing condition and
make the Iibers to show negative charges
4. Water - dyeing media
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Dyes Dyeing Condition (pH)
Acid (Wool) 2-4, 4-6, 6-8 (depends
on types oI dyes)
Acid (Nylon) 4.5-5.5, 6-7 (depends
on types oI dyes)
Basic 3.5-4
Direct 7.0
Disperse (Polyester) 5-6
Disperse (Acetate) 6.5-7.0
Disperse (Triacetate) 4.5-6.5
Reactive 7.0 (Exhaustion)
11.0 (Fixing)
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