Bleaching:

To eliminate any impurity and obtain a pure white

tone.
To prepare the substrate for the low density dyes or
prints and level off undesired tone variations.

Iso-electric point for wool:

Wool is impoteric and its polarity depends upon pH.
If pH is maintained 4.8-7 than wool is iso-electrically
neutral. If we increase it wool will show (-) charge
and if we decrease it will show (+) charge.

Bleaching of Wool:
Natural coloring compounds have conjugation and
oxidizing agents break single and double bonds.
C C C

We use oxidizing agents used for Bleaching cotton.

For wool we can use reducing agents and oxidizing
agents.
 Wool is bleached for whiter shades and when the
intended dyed shade is particularly bright or pale.

Bleaching using Reducing agents:

Wool is bleached with reducing agents due to the
action of bishulphite ions(HSO3-).

1. By exposing the wool to the Sulphur Dioxide

(SO2) gas.

2. By containing reducing agents;

Sodium bishulphite (NaHSO3).

Thiourea dioxide.
Sodium dithionite or Hydro (NaS2O4).

Sodium metabisulphite (Na2S2O5).

Sodium or Zinc formaldehyde

Sulphoxylate (NaHSO2CH2 or
Zn[(HSO2CH2)2].
 Mostly used reducing agents;

Thiourea Dioxide.
Sodium Dithionite.

Method:
o pH 5.5-6.

o Temperature 45-50C.
o Time 1 hour.

Thiourea is more expensive but effective.

1-3g/L.

Temperature 80 oC.

pH 7.

Time 1 hour.

Bleaching using Oxidizing agent:

Wool cant be bleach in hypochlorite because it is
extremely damaged to the point at which it even
dissolves in solution.
Most frequently used bleaching agent (H2O2) may be
applied in acidic an as well as in basic conditions.
 Wool is usually bleached at pH 8.5 to 9 for 2 hrs at
50 to 60 oC in the presence of buffer to increase the
rate of reaction.

Bleaching with Hydrogen Peroxide in Acidic

conditions:
Because of alkaline sensibility of wool.

Advantages of bleaching in acidic pH are;

Controversial.
More intensive.
Recipe:
pH 4.5-5.5 + activators [Formic acid, Per acetic acid
or Prestogen W (BASF)] to form peroxicarboxylic acid
which activates in the similar manner the Hydrogen
Peroxide.
Chelating agents may be added as metallic ions must
remove.
Natural coloring wool should be first treated with
solution of metallic salts of
iron,cobalt,nickel,manganese and copper as acidic
bleaching is needed.
When wool is treated with metallic salts it hydrolyses
the salt into an acidic or basic component the basic
component is absorbed at COOH group and the
acidic component is removed during washing.
 Silicate stabilizers are used to control rapid
decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and
oxygen.

Bleaching with Hydrogen Peroxide in

Basic conditions:
Recipe:

Wool can also be bleached under basic pH 8-9.5.

Temperature 50 to 60 oC.

Stabilizers (Na Pyrophosphate or Na oxalate +

Pyroposphate) can be used.

pH is regulated by addition of ammonia as no slicates

are used.