Summary of synthetic dyes for textile processing

The following summary has been prepared to help in understanding the issues involved, and to appreciate various dyestuff, as well as methods available for dyeing of textiles. One of the basic facts about dyeing, and one, which must always be borne in mind, is that it has inherent limitations. You can not assume that to dye any piece of fabric to a given colour, all you need to do is use a dye of that particular colour. No dye will dye all textile fabrics satisfactorily. This means, simply, that you must choose a dye that will suit the material (or a material that will suit the dye). If you observe one or the other of these governing factors there is no reason why you should not obtain a satisfactory result. In choosing a dyestuff, the conditions to which the finished dyeing will be exposed must be considered. Over 20 distinct and specific fastness requirements can been selected, and the performance of dyeing exposed to these conditions evaluated. The performance requirements of a dye on a swimsuit are totally different from the dye on curtains or a pair of socks. Fastness evaluation is frequently industry oriented and serves as a guide for the suitability for further treatment prior to garment manufacture. Consumer oriented fastness assessments help dyes to decide on a dye that will suit the end use of the article dyed or manufactured. Some of the consumer oriented fastness assessments are as follows: Fading, machine wash ability, boiling, perspiration, dry cleaning, hot pressing, steam pressing, salt water, gas fume fading (from oil heaters) and many others. SYNTHETIC DYES. The discovery by Sir William Perkin, an English chemist in 1936 that a mauve colouring matter capable of dyeing silk could be prepared by the oxidation of aniline started a vast chain of events. It resulted in production of approximately 8,000 distinctly different dyestuffs being manufactured all over the world and sold under 40,000 trade names. Synthetic dyes used in the textile industry are broadly split into 11 groups:.

1. Basic dyes 2. Direct dyes 3. Vat dyes 4. Reactive dyes 5. Azoic dyes 6. Sulphur dyes

7. Mordant dyes 8. Acid dyes 9. Disperse dye 10. Oxidation dyes 11. Mineral and pigment dyes

1. BASIC & MODIFIED BASIC DYES MAUVENE, the first to be discovered by Perkin, was a basic dye and most of the dyes which followed, including magenta, malachite green and crystal violet, were of the same type. Basic dyes dye wool and silk from a dye bath containing acid but dye cotton fibres only in the presence of a mordant usually a metallic salt that increases affinity of the fabric for the dye. Basic dyes include the most brilliant of all the synthetic dyes known, but unfortunately they have very poor light and wash fastness.

USE: Basic dyes will dye wool and silk from an acid bath and are used where brightness is of prime consideration. With the introduction of cotton dyes possessing higher fastness properties their use for dyeing cotton has diminished. Basic dyes are used extensively for dyeing cut flowers, dried flowers, also dyeing jute sisal, raffia, coir and wood (toys). With the introduction of acrylic fibre a new range of 'modified' basic dyes were perfected for dyeing of this material.

2. DIRECT DYES These are soluble in water and have direct affinity for all cellulose fibres. Some will also dye silk and wool. By continuous research this group of dyes has been supplemented with dyes of good fastness to light and washing. As these dyes, when dyed without additives, do not exhaust well, an addition of salt is required to improve the yield of the dye and obtain deeper shades. Generally, the wash fastness of these dyes is inferior but there are a number of after treatments available to improve the wash fastness of the dyeing. Most direct dyes can be stripped of the use of stripping salts (Sodium Hydrosulphite) without harmful effects on the fibres.

USE; Direct dyes dye all cellulosic fibres, including viscose rayon, and most of them also dye wool and silk. They do not dye acetate rayon and synthetic fibres. Direct dyes can be applied well at low temperatures and are therefore suitable for tie-dyeing and batik work. Generally these dyes are used where high wash fastness is not required. 3. VAT DYES. INDIGO, probably the oldest dye known to man, is one of the most important members of this group. Natural indigo extracted from the plant 'Indigofera tinctorie' was used by the Egyptians in 200 BC. The first synthetic indigo was introduced to the textile trade in 1897 and had the effect of completely replacing the natural product. Although the vat dyes may be divided into three chemical groups, they are similar in that they are insoluble in water and become water soluble when reduced in the presence of an alkali. After dyeing, the fabric is oxidized and the dye again becomes water insoluble. Because of the time consuming and costly procedure in reducing vat dye into a water-soluble complex, dye manufacturers have produced a stabilized water-soluble vat dye. This dye can be applied to cotton and viscose rayon by the methods used by applying direct cotton dyes. After the dyeing, a simple treatment restores the vat dye to its normal insoluble state. Solubilized vat dyes have an affinity for cellulose and animal fibres.

 USE: Vat dyes are used in cotton dyeing where high wash and boil fastness required. Because of the high alkali concentration in the dye bath, pure vat dyes cannot be used on animal fibres, (wool, natural silk, and various hairs). Bright red is absent in vat dye range. Solubilized vat dyes, not requiring the presence of alkali, can be used for dyeing on animal fibres. Because they are dyed at low temperatures, they are used in Indonesian batik dyeing for green shades. 4. REACTIVE DYES. This is an entirely class of dye introduced to the market in 1956. They react chemically with the fibre being dyed and if correctly applied, cannot be removed by washing or boiling. The main feature of the dyestuff is its low affinity to cellulose; therefore large amounts of salt are required to force its deposition on he fabric. After this has been achieved, addition of alkali causes the deposited dyes to react with the fibre. Only a successfully concluded reaction guarantees a fast dyeing. Basically there are two types of reactive dyes: the cold dyeing and hot dyeing types.

USE: Reactive dyes are used where bright dyeing with high light and wash fastness is required. Cold dyeing is used extensively in batik work. Although some reactive dyestuffs have been specially modified to dye wool, their main usage is in dyeing cotton linen and viscose rayon. 5. AZOIC DYES. The word 'Azoic' is the distinguishing name given to insoluble azo dyes that are not applied directly as dyes, but are actually produced within the fibre itself. This is done with impregnating the fibre with one component of the dye, followed by treatment in another component, thus forming the dye within the fibre. The formation of this insoluble dye within the fabric makes it very fast to washing. The deposition of the free pigment on the surface of the dyed fabric produces poor rub fastness, but once the loose pigment is removed by boiling the fabric in soap the dyeing becomes one of the fastest available.

6. SULPHUR DYES The first Sulphur dye was discovered in France in 1873, and further work done by Raymond Videl enabled the manufacture of 'Videl black". Its outstanding fastness to light, washing and boiling far surpassed any cotton black known at that time. The general disadvantage of the Sulphur dyes that they produce dull shades and lack a red. The main advantage lays in their cheapness, ease of application and good wash-fastness. In their normal state Sulphur dyes are insoluble in water but are readily soluble in the solution of Sodium Sulphide. In this form they have high affinity to the all cellulose fibres.

USE: The use of Sulphur dyes is restricted to dull brown, Khaki and Navy shades, where a good wash but not boil-fastness is required. Most Khaki and Navy overalls are dyed with Sulphur dyes. An outstanding member of this family is Sulphur black. It dyes all cellulose fibres, but particularly linen and jute, to a lustrous and deep black with excellent wash and light fastness. Sulphur dyes are dyed from a dye bath containing Sodium Sulphide and common or Glaubers Salt, and are oxidized by airing or with some oxidizing agents (Sodium Bichromate or Hydrogen Peroxide) in a fresh bath. 7. MORDANT DYES

Mordant dyes are so called because to apply them necessitates the use of mordant. This group of dyes includes natural dyes: Logwood, Fustic and Madder (now replaced by synthetic Alizarine) and a large group of synthetic dyes with a widely differing constitution. The mordant dyes can be applied to fibres by three different methods: a. By mordanting the fibre with a suitable metallic salt and then applying the dye. b. By dyeing the fibre and subsequently after-treating it with a suitable metallic salt so as to form an insoluble lake. This is the basis of 'after-chrome' method used in particularly fast dyeing of black and brown colour on wool. c. By the simultaneous application of the dye and mordant. In wool dyeing as 'metachrome' or 'monochrome' process and is extensively used for dyeing of brown and khaki colours.

USE: Since the dyes used in this process vary widely, not only by the methods of application and dyeing of different fibres, reliable recipes and instructions are to be followed carefully. 8. ACID DYES These dyes comprise a large number of dyes used for the dyeing of wool, silk and nylon. They vary considerably in their basic chemical structure, but have one common feature - they dye from an acid dye bath. All acid dyes can be grouped in three broad sub groups:

a. Level dyeing acid dyes. These dyes produce bright dyeing. The main feature is their good leveling properties. They are dyed from a dye bath containing strong acids (Sulphuric or Formic acid). These dyes exhibit low wash and light fastness. b. Acid milling dyes. Selected because of their high and light fastness and are extensively used for dyeing woolen fabrics that are subsequently milled. These dyes require great care in application because uneven dyeings are difficult or impossible to rectify. The dye bath requires the presence of weak acid (acetic acid) or acid releasing salts (ammonium sulphate or ammonium acetate) from which acid is liberated during dyeing. c. Pre-metalized dyes These dyes represent an extension of mordant dyes discussed in (7) above. The metal component being already incorporated in the dye during manufacturing process. Very good light fastness even in pale shades USE: The family of acid dyes is very large and diverse, varying widely in their methods of dyeing, application and end use of the dyed fabric. A choice of dyes should be made considering sometimes-incompatible factors: - level dyeing, fastness, brightness and ease of application. Care must be taken to use the appropriate method as prescribed for a given dye. A number of acid dyes are also used to dye nylon.

9. DISPERSE DYES The introduction of a new regenerated cellulose acetate fibre in 1920 led to the necessity to develop an entirely new range of dyes. It was found that cellulose acetate (or Celanese) fibre had hardly any affinity for water-soluble dyes. A new dyeing principle was introduced: dyeing with water dispersed coloured organic substances. These finely coloured particles are applied in aqueous dispersion to the acetate material and actually dissolved in the fibres.

USE: Basically developed for dyeing of acetate fibres, Disperse dyes are also used for dyeing of polyamide (Nylon) and acrylic (Orlon & Acrylan) fibres. With the addition of 'carriers' or swelling agents these dyes are also used in dyeing of Polyester (Terylene, Tetron, Dacron, etc.) 10. OXIDATION DYES These are not dyestuffs in the same sense as other soluble or disperse dyes, but because of their exceptional fastness to light and washing are of great importance. The most important member of this group is produced by oxidation of aniline and is much used in dyeing of fur and leather goods. USE: In addition to fur and leather dyeing, aniline black was almost exclusively used to dye luster black umbrella fabric. 11. MINERAL AND PIGMENT DYES Although it is preferred to use water soluble dyes in textile dyeing for two reasons; ease of application and greater softness of the fabric, there are two processes where pigment colouration is used: a. Mineral khaki Cotton army equipment where it is used because of its cheapness and because it also renders fabric resistant to rotting and attack by insects in damp conditions. b. Synthetic resin printing The introduction of heat setting synthetic resins has opened new fields in textile printing. Mineral and organic pigments, as used in paint manufacture, can now be applied to any fabric and rendered wash fast after heat treatment. USE: Whilst the formation of mineral pigment on the fabric is used less and less as a dyeing process, the use of pigment printing is continuously increasing. The reason for this is the development of soft and flexible synthetic resins, available as binders (or adhesives) to secure the pigment to the fabric without inducing a harsh or stiff finish. Following are some of the names in each dyestuff category; Reactive: Drimarene-K, Drimalan-F, Procion, Levafix, Hostalan, and Cibacron Vat: Synthetic Indigo, Indanthreen, Calendon, and Indigosol

Disperse: Polysol, Resolin, Foron, Dispersol, Cibaset Modified basic: Astrazon, Maxilon, Sandocryl, Synacryl Azoic: Naphtol, Naphtanilide, and Diazo Fast salts Direct: Solar, Diamin, Solophenyl, and Durazol Acid: Lanasyn, Nylosan, Sandolan, Irgalan, Lissamine Chrome: Eriochrome, Solochrome