The quantity of acid is about twice as much as that required for equalising acid dyes.

A prolonged boil is necessary for complete development of the dye. Glaubers salt
practically has no levelling action in this case. Hence, the dyeing process is quite
different form that of the application of acid dyes to wool.
These dyes behave differently depending on whether they contain one or two
sulphonic groups . The chromium in the complex. being Positively charged will
neutralise one of the sulphonic groups, thus forming a zwitterions.
The various possible inbteractions taking place between the dye and wool fibre are as
follows:
1. Like acid dyes. the positively charged chromium ion may combine with the
basic side chain of wool (Protonated amino groups) Dye-SO3-+H3N-Wool).
2. In a neutral dyes, the Positively charged chromium ion may combine with teh
carboxyl groups of wool (Dye-Cr+-OOC-ool).
3. Additional coordination bonds may be formed between the chromium ion may
combine with the carboxyl groups suck as imino groups of wool (DyeCr...NH-Wool).
4. In addition, van der Waals forces (ion-dipole, dipole-dipole and related
forces) may actbetween the big dyemolecules and the fibre.
With increasing acidity, adsorption due first interaction will rise to a maximum as
with acid dyes, but dyes, but as a result of the second interaction, will decrease
because of back titration of carboxylic groups (- COO-+ H+....... COOH). The third
lindage involving imino groups mainly controls dyeing. These groups are only weakly
basic, but at low PH values they become charged (Wool-NH+H+....Wool- NH2) and will
no longer coordinate with chromium. The addition of 8% sulphuric acid thus reduces
the amount of dye adsorbed and Produces a levelling action. So under these
conditions, these dyes behave like equalising acid dyes. The affinity due to van der
waals adsorption is not large, as the size of the complex is not very high. If dye-fibre
coordination were a major factor, then the dye would, by virtue of this strong
attachment, be expected to exhibit very high wet fastness on wool. The fastness of
these dyes to wet treatments is only moderate howeer slightly greater than that of their
nonmetallic acid dye counterparts of similar molecular size. This slightly higher
fastness is Proposed to be due to a greater tendency of the 1:1 complexes to aggregate
within the fiber.
Dyeing Methods
The material is wetted out at 60o C for 15 minutes in a bath containing 8% (o.w.m)
Sulphuric acid. After adding the dye in solution, the temperature of the bath ralsed to
boil in 30 minutes and kept at boil for 1 1/2 hours. The goods are rinsed thoroughly and
neutral sed if necessary. The Prolonged boiling Probably facilitates the Production of
non skittery dyeing through attack on the surface of the fibre.
The amount of acid required varies with the M:L ratio and in every case the case the
PH should 2.0.As Prolonged boiling under such low PH conditions can cause fibre
damage, either reduced amount of sulphuric acid or other acids such as 8-10%
( o.w.m.)formic acid (85%) may be used The amount of acid cab be reduced to 5% if
an auxiliary Product like Lisspol N (ICI) (9-17), Neolan salt P (Ciba) or Uniperol O
(BASAF) is added in the dye bath.

C9H19

(CH2CH2O)9-10

CH3

9-17
These compounds are nonionic ethylene oxide condensates. In aqueous soltion, they
form aggregates, which combine with the dye. They in fact do not improve levellin
gor migration. However, they reduce skiitteriness which added to the extent of 2%
(o.w.m) in the dyebath.
These dyes can also be applied at 800 C with suitable auxiliary such as Albegal B
(Ciba). The Product is reported to be an amphoteric surfactant sufficiently
hydrophobic to have affinity for wool as well as anionic dyes.
BASF Suggested the use of sulphamic acid (4% o.w.m. plus 1g/1) in place of
sulphuricacid. The initial pH of 1.9-2.1 increases to 3-3.5 as the temperature
approaches to boil. due to hydrolysis of sulphamic acid (NH 2SO3H+ H2O-NH2HSO4)
leading to less fibre damage. The simulaneous us eof sodium sulphate (5% o.w.m)
that contains an ethoxylated fatty amine and ammonium hexafluorosilicate. 6-10%
(o.w.m) sodium sulphate is also added.
Slubbing can be dayed continuously by a pad-steam method. The padding is done
with the x g/1 dye, 15-20/gl acetic acid, 25-40 g/l Primasol KW (BASF) and -10 g/1
suitable thickener. The padded matereial is steamed at 100-1020C for 45-60 minutes.
9.4.2 (1:2) Metal-complex Dyes
In spite of lower wet fastness properties as compared to chrome dayes, 1:1 metalcomplex dyes were popular for over a quarter of a century for their excellent
migration and penetration properties, ease of application, good light fastness and
comparatively brighter shades. However, their pupularity diminsihed with the
invention of netural-dyeing 1:2 metal-complex dyes in 1951 because of their
applicability under weakly acidic to neutral conditions as against strong acididc
conditions for 1:1 metal-complex dyes.
1:2 Machine-washable woollen materials.
2. Tropical suiting where level dyeing combined with better fastness to wet treatments
is desirable.
3. Mens suiting, uniform and blazer cloth in light and medium shade.
4. Carbonised pleaces and blanket cloths, which require no washing befored dyeing.
5. Piece that have been exposed to the atmosphere and become weathered.
6. Suitable for carpet yarns which are in public places and subjected to prolonged
exposure.
7. The dyed material to withstand hypochlorite finish to imitate Persian rugs.
8. The ease of reduction of some of the 1:2 complexes enables them to the used in
discharge printing.
The neutral-dyeing 1:2 metal-complex dyes are chromium or cobalt complexes of azo
dyes. Like 1:1 complexes, they are prepared from azo dyes, in particular from 00-

dihydroxazo dyes. A few of them are azamethine derivatives in which the azo group is
replaced by-CH=N-, the nitrogen of which can form a coordiate bond with metals.
Most of them are chromium complexs/ A few of them are cobalt complexes., which
have higher fastness to light and a lower rate of dyeing. The two parent dye molecules
forming complex with each metal ion may be same or different, the symmetrical
complexes being more stable.
Depending on the absence and presence of sulphonic groups, the 1:2 complexes are of
the following two types respectively:
1. Weakly polar 1:2 complexes
2. Strongly polar 1:2 complexes
These complexes are salts of strong acids and they dissociate completely in dilute
solution and acquire negative charge (D -Na+)/. The free acids have very low aqueous
solubility, whilst the salts show considerable aggregation insulation at room
temperature and low solubility in presence of inorganic salts.
There are typically three types of 1:2 metal-complex dyes: unsulphonated,
monosuphonated and disulphonated. The disulphonated type is most soluble and has
greater pH dependence. This means that they have a low neutral affinity and require
more acid to exhaust. They also exhibit the lowest cross-staining in domestic washing
because any desorbed dye has lowest cross- staining in domestic washing because any
desorbed dye has only limited affinity for a adjacent fibres at the pH condition used
by domestic detergent [2]
In the most popular first type, sulphonic solubilishing groups are absent, since their
presence leads to dyes that are unsatisfactory from the point of view of levelling and
skitteriness. Instead. nonionic groups are incorporated in the molecule to improve the
aqueous solubility and decrease the rate of dyeing. These groups, in fact. distinguish
the ranges offered by different manufacturers. The most popular are methlsulphonyl (SO2CH3) and sulphamoyl (SO2NH2) groups; their hydrophilic character being due to
hydrogen bonding with water. Both have similar solubilising properties, but the latter
exhaust more slowly. Other solubilisng grups reported are mono or di-alkylsubstituted sulphonamide, ethylsulphone and cyclic sulphone. The typical examples
are C.I. Acid Violet 79 (9-18) and Black 60 (9-19).

SO2CH3
N

O
Cr
O

SO2CH3

9-18

O
H3C

NH
C

N
N

O
Cr

N
O

HN

CH3

SO2NHCH3

9-19
Weakly polar 1:2 metal-complex dyes are sold under the names Irgalan (Ciba),
Lanasyn (Clariant), Isolan K (DyStar), Ortolan (BASF), etc. They display very good
to excellent light fastness and very good fastness to wet treatments on wool in pale to
medium depths. The dyes exhibit good levelling and penterating properties and
typically yield non-skittery dyeing. They are used on loose stock. slubbing and yarns
for outwear, carpet and knitting yarns and knitted goods. Owing to their tendency to

intensify barre (variations due to structural differences) dyeing they are less widely
used for piece dyeing.
However, weakly polar 1:2 metal-complex dyes have limited solubility in water.
Hence, the dye manufacturers came out with strongly polar 1:2 metal-complexes with
sulphonic groups having high solubility. While weakly polar dyes are mostly
symmetrical (i.e. two identical dyes are mostly asymmetric. The examples are Irgaren
(Geigy), Isolan S (DyStar), Lanasyn S (Clariant), etc.
Lanacron S (Ciba) and Neutrichrome S (Kuhlman) are asymmetrical 1:2 metalcomplex solubilised with one sulphonic group.
The Elbelan (LBH) range consists of symmetrical 1:2 metal-complexes solubilised
with two carboxy1 groups.
Acidol M (BASF) and Azarin (Hoechst, now DyStar) are the disulphonated
symmetrical 1:2 metal-complexes.
Strongly polar 1:2 metal-complex dyes provide high colour build up -1/1 standard
depth can be obtained with 0.7-1.2% dye as against 1.6-2.7% in case of weakly polar
dyes. Hence, the are economica especially in dark shades. They provide very good
wet fastness in full depths. The fastness to hot water is very good for strongly polar
dyes. Moreover, they are inexpensive to prepare.
The dyes, however, possess lower levelling power. The disulphonated variants possess
the lowest levelling characteristics and they are, therefore, rearely used on woven
fabrics. Skitteriness caused by differential affinity of wool for dyestuff arising out of
uneven dye absorption between the root and the tip of the wool fibre is somewhat
more difficult to cover with strongly polar dyes than do their weakly polar
counterparts.
With the introduction of solubilising groups like-SO3H. the exhaustion of the dyestuff
shifts to a higher temperature (e.g. 80-500C), which is approximately 100C higher than
the weakly polar 1:2 complexes. The dyebath pH for optimum exhastion of 5.5-6 as
compared to 6.5-7 for the latter.
Theory of Dyeing
In 1:2 metal-complex dyes, the metal ion is fully chelated with the dye-no further
coordination with the fibre is possible. The dyes are sensitive to pH due to overall
negative charge of the complex, but the sensitivity is less than that of milling cacid
dyes because the charge is not localised as in the latter case. The dye exerts strong
Van der Waals force due to its large molecular size, resulting in slow rate of dyeing
and high fastness to wet treatments.
1:2 metal-complex dyes behave very much like neutral dyeing acid dyes, the two
types of bonds being
1. Like acid dyes, these anionic dyes form ionic bond with protonated amiono
groups (Dye -+H3N-Wool).
2. Powerful Van der Walls forces may act between the big dye molecules and the
fibre.
The ionic attraction between the dye anion and the protonated amino groups in the
substrate is expected to contribute to dye-fibre substantively. The ionic interaction
will be more pronounced in the case of strongly polar dyes which carry comparatively
greater and also localised negative charge than in the weakly polar dyes with nonlocalised single negative charge. Weakly polar 1:2 metal-complex acid dyes carry a

single negative charge due to the loss of four protons from the two component dye
ligands. In strongly polar 1:2 metal-complex dyes, the monosulphonated and
disulphonatd varieties will possess two and three negative charge respectively.
However, the dyes are applied to wool under weakly acidic to near neutral pH
conditions when the number of prorogated amino groups in the substrate is small. The
hydrophillicity of the dye is due to the anionic charge of the molecule, which is low
for both weakly and strongly polar dyes. The dyes are predominantly hydrophobic in
nature. Therefore, hydrophobic interactions, operating between the dye and
hydrophobic regions within the fibre, make an important contibution to the
substantively.
Due to hydrophobic interactions, dye agtgregation within the fibre will probably arise
reuslting in higher wet fastness or reduced tendencey of dyes to diffuse out of the
fibre during wet treatments.
1:2 (disuphonated)= 1:1>1:2 (monosuphonated)> 1:2 (unsuphonated) > 1:2 (SO2NH2).
The wet fastness properties of the Elbelan (LBH) range of 1:2 complexes solubilised
by carboxylic groups are superior to those of conventional 1:2 metal-complex dyes.
The festness properties in practice, however, depend on many other factors.
Dyeing Methods
Levelling of 1:2 metal-complex dyes depends on the pH and temperature of
application and is enhanced by proprietary levelling agents. The use of such
compounds is essential for strongly polar dyes. Amphoteric auxiliaries, usually
polythoxylates (9-20) having both cationic and anionic sites, are particularly effective
in the coverage of tippy wool. Albeal A, Albegal B, Albegal SET (Ciba), Uniperol SE
(BASF), Lyogen FN and Lyogen UL (Clariant) are few commercial levelling agents
suitable for the purpose.
R

+
NH

(CH2CH2O)nCH2CH2OH

(CH2CH2O)nCH2CH2OSO3-

Uniformity of substrate PH important for successful dyeing. Any residual acid from
carbonising or acid shrink- resist treatments should be neutralised with ammonim
hydroxide buffered with sodium acetate (5-8%) Soft water should be used. Organic
chelating agents should be avoided as they Promote demutualisation of some dyes.
Nwutral-dyeing Premetallised dyes can be applied to wool at all sages of
manufacture. They are Particularly suitable for pale to medium shades.
Weakly Polar 1:2 metal-Complex dyes, due to absence of sulphonic and carboxylic
groups cover tippy wool very well. They do not show fibre selectivity when a blend of
different types of wool is being used, e.g. for carpets. They are usually applied to
untreated wool in the pH range 5 to 6, although pH values between 4 and 7 are used in
some applications.
The usual method of application at 400C for 10 minutes in a bath set with 2-4%
(o.w.m) ammonium sulphate or acetate. Dissolved dye is then added and the
temperature is raised to boil in 45 minutes. After 30-60 minutes at the boil, the bath
should be exhausted to the extent of about 95%. With loose wool and slubbing, the
ammonium salt may be replaced by 2% (o.w.m.) acertic acid (40%), but shading is

difficult. If acetic acid is used, the bath should be neutral at the start and pH should be
gradually lowered to 5.5-6 during dyeing to increase substantiality. The dyeing may
also be carried out at high temperature (106-1100c). At lower temperature (800C),
there may be a tendency to skittery dyeing.
In order to enable brighter shades, a small range of milling acid dyes, having dyeing
and fastness properties similar to 1:2 metal-complex dyes, are provided for shading
purposes, such as Irgalan S (Ciba) dyes.
Addition of suitable nonionic auxiliaries enable the dyebath pH to be lowered to 4.85.5 which is desirable for carpet yarn, as slight yellowing is caused by dyeing at
higher pH. 1-2% (o.w.m) Lyogen SMK (Clariant), 10% (o.w.m) Glaubers slat and
1.5% (o.w.m) acetic acid may be used for the purpose.
Several continuous dyeing methods have been developed for wool, such as:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Pad-steam
IWS cold pad-batch
Vicontin CR process (Carp-O-Roll)
Lanasan pad-store
Fastran EDF

The last two systems involve the use of radio- frequency energy.
A pad-steam method for the continuous dyeing of slubbing, is to pad dye with 10-12
ml/1 formic acid (85%) (pH 2.8-3) along with dispersing and levelling agents, agents,
followed by steaming at 1000c for 15-40 minutes and rising.
In continuous dyeing of textile material, a surface frostiness (light coloured fibre at
the surface) can develop due to dye migration to the interior of the material as a result
of lower moisture content at the surface. Antiforsting agents used for resolving the
problem, are a combination of powerful film-forming weatting agent and short-chairn
ethoxylated products, which from a second liquid phae of higher dye concentration
close to the fibre surface. Commercially these may be readymade mixtures, such as
Irgrapdol (Ciba) or two products to be added separately such as Lyogen V and Lyogen
CW (Clariant).
The strongly polar 1:2 metal-complex dyes give cheaper dark shades. They can be
applied in the similar manner as above, but a proper levelling agent must be used to
achieve level dyeing. The temperature is to be raised more slowly. The dyeing is
carried out at pH between 5 and 7 although a pH of 4 may be used. The dyeing may
be carried out at boil, at low temperature of 80 0c (mostly monosulphonated dyes, e.g.
Isolan S dyes of DyStar) or at high temperature above boiling.
Shrink-resist wool may be dyed with weakly and strongly polar dyes. However,
substantively will be considerably higher due to their cationic nature. Stricit control of
pH, temperature and time of dyeing is essential for achieving level, uniformly
penetrated dyeing. The exhaustion is usually carried out at a lower temperature than
untreated wool to counteract greater substantively.

The dyeing may be carried out with an organic ester type acid donor, such as Eulysin
WP (BASF), which under hot aqueous conditions decomposes to an acid to bring
down the dyebth pH to 5. The dye bath is prepared with 1-2% (o.w.m) ammonia
(25%), 1% (o.w.m) Uniperol SE (BASF) 0.5-1 g/1 Eulysin WP (BASF) and the
required amount fo dye. The temperature is raised to 60 0Cat 1.50C/min and thereafter
10c/ min up to boil and the dyeing is continued at boil for 30-60 minutes. In order to
achieve optimum fastness, an aftertreatment may be carried out with a cationic agent,
4% (o.w.m) Basolan F (BASF) at pH 7.5 and temperature 40 0C for 15 minutes,
followed by rinsing.
While dyeing with 1:2 metal-complex dyes, the dyebath exhaustion achievable is very
high and by further dilution with rinsing water, the levels of chromium can be kept
below discharge limits. Hoever, dyeing in deeper shades using less rinse water or
achieving poor exhaustion, will push effluent over the limit. The rinse water is
generally fairly clean. Most of the contamination is in the exhausted dye bath, which
should be considered for reuse. A standing bath may be employed to dye the same
shade repeately for five times.
Mostly iron-complex dyes and to a leasser extent aluminium-complex dyes as
sustitute for chromium-complex dyes are suggested to avoid pollution problems. The
colour of the dyes range from violet, blue, brown to black [18]
9.5 DYEBATH BLECHING
Wool may acquire a yellowish tint during dyeing due to high dyebath p Hand
temperature and long time of processing. The pigments produced in dyebath
yellowing are very sensitive to photo bleaching. To counteract the potentially
disastrous change in shade during a relatively short light exposure (yellow fade), the
dyers add certain dye bath bleaching aids, namely.
1. A mixture of sodium bisulphate and sequestering agent, which is more
Common.
2. Hydroxylamine sulphate, the chemical mechanism of this unusual method
developed by Clarion is not known.
9.6. AFTER TREATMENTS
The first cationic agent for after treating wool dyed with 1:2 metal-complex and acid
milling dyes was Sandopur SW (Clarant). It dramatically improves washing and
alkaline Perspiration fastness of selected sulphonated metal complex and milling acid
is really effective for wool subiected to oxidative shrink resist treatment. Later, more
cationic Products, such as Sand fix L (Clariant), Fixogene MW (ICI), etc, were
developed which were effective to a greater extent in removing dye held in the
cationic resin layer of Hooksett- treated wool.
Subsequently, reactive Products such as Lanasan MW (Clariant) Wre introduced,
Which could additinally Provide shrink-resist effect as Hercosett 125 resin. However,
Such after treated Products are difficult to reprocess and are Prone to soiling with
anionic dyes during laundering {1}
9.7 STRIPPING OF DYES
Faulty wool dyed material may be stripped with zinc formaldehyde sulphoxalate,
e.g. Arostit ZET (Clariant), which is reasonably stable under acid p H [1] The
Conventional alkaline stripping with sodium hydrosuphite and soda ash causes severe

damage to woolen material. other stabilised hydreosuphite based stripping agents are
less effective.
It is often Possibleto level up a dyeing or to reduce the depth to allow shade correction
by partial stripping with cationic surfactants Polyethoxylated quaternary ammonium
compounds, often, under mild alkaline conditions with ammonia Such Products are
fully ionised even at PH 8.
9.8 LOAW TEMPERATURE DYEING
The Prime motive for low temperature dyeing is energy conservation as well as
Protection of wool, by limiting the time at highest dyeing temperature during dyeing.
But several Problems are encountered while dyeing at low temperature. For a given
wool fibre, the rate of diffusion or Penetration is related to the amount of energy Put
into the system in the form of heat and the molecular structure of the dye molecule.
Larger molecules require more energy requirements for total diffusion. As cuticle is
the main barrier to fiber penetration we can reduce the energy requirements by
damaging the fibre scales. However by doing this the fibre quality is hapered in the
same way as by dyeing at boil.
Each dye behaves differently at reduced dyeing temperature. Thus, dyes compatible at
the boil will not be so at lower temperatures, A reduction in the degree of penetration
will affect both shade and fastness, by t the degree of variation will differ from dye to
dye and with depth of shade. A high degree of shade reproducibility is essential for
any dyeing system to have real value. Low temperature dyeing can Problems in this
area due to two factors [20]:
1. Reduced dyebath exhaustion
2. Varying degree of Penetration
With dyes of low substantivity such as acid levelling dyes and some chrome dyes,
good exhaustion can be obtained at 80-85o ever in normal dyeing time. with dyes of
larger molecules, however, ring dveing is obtained. These molecules do not readily
Penetrate the fibre at low temperature, resulting in reduced wash and rubbing fastness
and shade change during
Steaming or finishing. The various techniques for improving diffusion at low
temperature are [1]:
1. Solvent dyeng.
2. Use of alky Phosphates.
3. Use of ethylated alcohols with short Polyethoxy chains.
The auxiliaries operate most effectively at or close to their solubility limit. They have
very high dissolving Power for ionic dyes and form auxiliary rich Phase of high dye
concentration adjacent to the fibre surface and thereby in crease the rate of dyeing
without hampering levelness.
Water soluble solvents like butanol and benzyl alcohol are uneconomic, as they are
required in high concentration, while while Chlorinated hydrecarbons are rejected on
eco- toxicological grounds. Ciba Proposed Irga-solvent Process, Alkyl Phosphates
such as Dilatin VE (robustly PhosphateClariant) have also been recommended.
In mid 1960s. CSLRO [2] recommended a Process of dyeing at 45 oC at PH3-5, using a
Polyethoxylated nonylphenol having 6-10 ethylene oxide units Per molecule. The
Practical Process was, however, tedious, as there were different recommendations for
different dyes. The dissolving of the surfactant was also a Problem as it had very low

cloud Point. The incorpo ration of long chain dispersing agent would have Probably
improved their applicability as in products like Baylan NT (Dy star) , Ana sat Lt )
C;aroamt), etc, which were developed later. Such norionic Products are acceptable
from the view of cost and toxicological considerations.
It has been observed that some dyestuffs do not exhaust well at tempertures below
boil Even low substantively for wool are likely to give poor reproducibility. When
dyes of very high substantivity are applied below boil, the penetration into the fibre
may be so Poor that surface dyeing may occur , which can lead to fastness problems
and sever shade changes in subsequent processes. With unsulphonated 1:2 metal
compled dyes, there can be Problems of exhaustion and shade changes cfan cause
difficulties.The best results are obtained with monesulphonated types such as
Neutrichrome S (Crompton and knwles) dyes. Carbolan dyes give good result s
because they have lower much better [20].
Early attempts for low temperature dyeing were bsed on a simple method that
involved the use of single auxiliary and a fixed dyeing temperature for all dyeings .
As the method is simple, it is very attractive. However such a process could never be
totally successful,throwing out Problems of shade reproducibility and wet fastness.
The correct application of low temperature dyeing is very complex . For every
dyestujj, there is a point at which the effect of poor penetration becomes critical . This
point is called limiting depth.For a given dyeswtuff, the limiting depth is the depth of
shade above, whice it will faill to give a wet fastness rating of 4. THe depth s specific
to the dyestuff, the specific fastness test and is dependent on dyeing temperature
employed.
An auxiliary is needed which does not cause fibre swelling but assists in even
exhaustion and diffusion at temperature below boil Crompton and Knowles developed
Intrasol MFD, Which should be added in the dyebath in varying amounts, depending
on the type of goods being dyed and the liquor ratio. It is still essential to obey
limiting depth rule for good results, although MFD does raise limiting depth rule for
goods being dyed and the liquor ratio. It is still essential to obey limiting depth rule
for good results, although MFD does raise limiting depths at all temperatures below
boil. A computer program based on doncept AFD [20] allows selection of minimum
dyeing temperature for dyes, considering limiting depths based on the chosed fastness
test according to washing requirements (e.g. dry clean, hand wash, machiner wash and
carpets).
Low temperature dyeing exaggerates incompatibility problems with some 1:2 metalcomplex dyes. Sandoz (Clariant) developed Lanasan CF dyes consisting of selected
1:2 metal-complex and acid milling dyes which can be dyed with Lanasan. LT at
850C, claiming comparable fastness and reproducibility with those dyed at boil.
Pretreatment of wool with a water-soluble, cationic polymide-epichlorohydrin
opolymer Hercosett resin (Hercules) greatly increases the possibility or effective low
temperature dyeing of medium to light depth. The simplest sequence of such
treatments on dry-combed or pre-scoured tops to prepare shrink-resist machinewashable wool in back washing machine (Figure 5.14) is as follows:
1. Chlorination by applying sodium hypochlorite having 1.5-2.0% active
chlorine on the weight of wool at pH 1.5-2.0
2. Antichloring and neutralization in the second bowl with sodium sulphite or
metabisuphite and sodium carbonate or bicrarbonate

3. The Hercosett 57 resin treatment (5g1 solid) in the third bowl at pH 7.5 and
temperature 300C.
4. The final bowl consists of a nonionic polyethlene softener such as Alcolube
CRT at alkaline pH.
5. Finally the tops are subjected to drying and curing (for resin).
Batchwise exhaustion techniques may also be followed.
BASF proposed the use of quaternised resin, Basoan F, for both shrink-proofing wool
and improving wet fastness of anionic dyes, especially millin and 1:2 metal-complex
dyes. The process sequences is different than that of Hercosett. The wool top is
chlorinated with acid hypochlorite,