Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cotton fabrics have been dyed with C. I. Reactive Yellow 84, C. I. Reactive Red 22 and C. I. Reactive Blue 19 dyes and
the effect of some commonly used antioxidants and UV absorbers is studied in order to improve light fastness property. The
antioxidants such as gallic acid, vitamin C and cafeic acid, and the UV absorbers such as 2-hydroxybenzophenone and
phenyl salicylate have been applied on reactive dyed cotton fabric by exhaust method. Treated samples are then tested for
fastness properties as per international standards. The results show no change in colour depth during after treatment. In all
the cases, the use of UV absorbers or antioxidants improves the light fastness of dyed fabrics. The most effective light
fastness improvement is found by the application of vitamin C.
Keywords: Antioxidant, Cotton fabric, Dyeing, Light fastness, Reactive dyes, UV absorbers
radiation. The energy of the excited molecules which and phenyl salicylate) were used for treating
causes photodegradation is released as thermal the cotton before exposure to irradiation. They
energy10. Researchers have investigated the usefulness were obtained from commercial sources
ofUV absorbers in reducing color alteration using (Acros Organics, Sigmae, Aldrich, Fluka). Cafeic acid
twogeneral methods namely (i) direct application of (CAS no. 331.39.5), gallic acid (CAS No 149-91-7),
UV absorbers to fabrics and (ii) use of UV filtering vitamin C (ascorbic acid, CAS No. 50.81.7), phenyl
materials11. The major classes of commercial salicylate (CAS No.118.55.8), and benzophenone
ultraviolet-radiation stabilizers include derivatives (CAS No. 117.99.7) were used. Chemical structure
of 2-hydroxybenzophenone, 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)- and other details of these can be obtained from
phenols, phenyl esters, substituted cinnamic acids and CAS index14.
nickel chelates. Gordon et al.12 studied the use of
ultraviolet light absorbers for protection of wool 2.2 Methods
against yellowing. 2.2.1 Dyeing
Antioxidants, also called inhibitors of oxidation, Dyeing of the scoured fabrics was performed at
are organic compounds that are added to oxidizable 60°C using C. I. Reactive Yellow 84, C. I. Reactive
organic materials to retard autooxidation and, in Red 22 and C. I. Reactive Blue 19, each 1.0% by
general, to prolong the useful life of the substrates. exhaustion with sodium sulphate(30 g/L) for 30 min
Antioxidants are classified as either radical trapping and fixation with soda ash (10 g/L) for 45 min. After
(chain breaking) or peroxide decomposing, terms that dyeing, the samples were rinsed in distilled water,
describe the mechanism by which they function13. soap solutions, rinsed again in distilled water and
The antioxidant absorbs free singlet oxygen and then dried.
reduces the photo fading. This activity of antioxidant
2.2.2 Application of Antioxidants and UV Absorbers
is measured by the unit of oxygen radical absorbance
The antioxidants (gallic acid, vitamin C and cafeic
capacity (ORAC)14. Works carried by researchers
acid) and the UV absorbers (2-hydroxybenzophenone
concentrated on dyes’ chemical structure, dyeing
and phenyl salicylate) each 1 g/L concentration
properties and condition of light fastness testing on
were applied by treating the dyed cotton fabric in a
light fastness properties. Antioxidant has been used
solution at 70° C, with 30 min stirring. For gallic acid,
only on natural dyed fabric for light fastness
vitamin C and cafeic acid, aqueous solutions and
improvement. In this work, antioxidant and UV
for the others water/ethanol mixture (9/1 v/v) were
absorbers have been applied on reactive dyed
used. After treatment, the samples were washed
materials for improving light fastness properties.
and then air dried14.
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Materials 2.2.3 Light Fastness Testing
2.1.1 Fabric Particulars The dyed fabric was exposed separately for 1, 2, 6,
The plain cambric cotton ready-for-dyeing fabricof 12, 24 and 36h at 40˚C under artificial light source
the following constructional parameters was used: (day light B01, James H Heal and company, Hamifax,
Warp count : 60Ne England), equipped with xenon arc and mercury-
Weft count : 60Ne tungsten florescent, whose wave length was similar
Ends/inch : 120 to that of sunlight. The change was compared
Picks/inch : 103 with original specimen and assessed by Data color
Areal density : 80 g/m2 CIE Lab dE value15.
CIE whiteness index : 68.0
Absorbency : <3 s 3 Results and Discussion
2.1.2 Reactive Dyes 3.1 Light Fastness Properties
Commercially used reactive dyes namely C. I. Figure 1 shows that for dyed fabric the
Reactive Yellow 84, C. I Reactive Red 22 and C.I. fading increases progressively with duration of
Reactive Blue 19 were usedwithout any purification. light exposure. The light fastness (36 h exposure)
2.1.3 Antioxidant and UV Absorbers of dyed samples treated with antioxidants (gallic
The antioxidants (gallic acid, vitamin C and cafeic acid, vitamin C and cafeic acid) and UV absorbers
acid) and the UV absorbers (2-hydroxybenzophenone (2-hydroxybenzophenone and phenyl salicylate) has
THIAGARAJAN & NALANKILLI: IMPROVING LIGHT FASTNESS OF REACTIVE DYED COTTON FABRIC 163
and the 2-hydroxybenzophenone activities may absorbers and antioxidants gives the colour
be explained by the differences in adsorption.The change of the dyed samples in brighter and
2,2-dihydroxy-4,4-dimethoxybenzophenone presents bluer direction. The most efficient additive for
a strong absorption in the near ultraviolet, attributed C.I. Reactive Yellow 84 and C.I. Reactive Red
to a conjugate chelation between the ortho-hydroxy 22 dyes samples is vitamin C. For C.I. Reactive Blue
and the carbonyl group. The phenyl salicylate 19 dyed samples, all the UV absorbers and
presents a very low absorption in the solar ultraviolet antioxidants show a great improvement in the light
region. However, after a short exposure to sunlight, it fastness. The treatments on C.I. Reactive Yellow
shows an increase in absorption in the 290-400 nm 84 and C.I. Reactive Blue 19 dyed samples show
regions, and after sufficient exposure, its spectrum significant improvement in fading as compared
resembles those of 2-hydroxybenzophenones. to C.I. Reactive Red 22 dyed fabric. The effect
The phenyl salicylate shows its effectiveness to a of combined application of UV absorber and
light-catalyzed rearrangement that converts it to antioxidant on light fastness will be studied later.
2-hydroxybenzophenone (Fig. 2b). Unfortunately,
other products are also formed, and the conversion to References
effective stabilizers is only 50-70% efficient. Our 1 Physico-chemical Principle of Color Chemistry, edited
study shows that the phenyl salicylate is inefficient in by N Kuramato, A T Peter & H S Freeman (Blackie A&P,
all the given cases. The poor light fastness of the three London), 1996.
reactive dyes is established beyond question. 2 Oakes J, Rev Prog Color, 31 (2001)21.
3 Egerton G S & Morgan A G, J Soc Dyers Colour,
Nevertheless, the use of some additives can improve 89(1971)268.
this default of reactive dyes. 4 Wilkinson F, Helman W P & Ross A B, J Phys Chem Ref
The UV light is an important cause in the Data, 22(1993)113.
fading of practically all dyes, in the weakening 5 Wilkinson F, Helman W P & Ross A B, J Phys Chem Ref
of fibres and fabrics, and in the photodegradation Data, 24(1995)663.
6 Griffiths J & Hawkins C, J Chem Soc Perk, 2(1977)747.
of many other substances. UV absorbers and 7 Jansen L M G, Wilkes I P, Wilkinson F & Worrall D R,
antioxidant molecules have been applied to many J Photochem Photobiol Chem, 125 (1999) 99.
substances and are found successful in many cases 8 Yamaguchi S & Sasaki Y, J Photochem Photobiol Chem,
in neutralizing the destructive attack of UV light. 142 (2001) 47.
However, many more studies on their application 9 Bandara J & Kiwi J, New J Chem, 23 (1999) 717.
10 Lappin G R, Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology ,
to fibres will be necessary before maximum Vol.14 (Interscience Publishers, New York), 1971, 125.
effectiveness can be attained. 11 Woeppel L & Crews P, Text Chem Color, 22 (1990) 31.
12 Gordon Rose W, Walden M K & Moore J E, Text Res
4 Conclusion J, 31(1961)495.
Fading rate curves for color difference 13 Castera-Rossignol A & Bosque F , Oleagineux Corps Gras
measurements of C. I. Reactive Yellow 84, C. I. Lipides , 1(1994)131.
14 Daniela Cristea & Gerard Vilarem, Dyes Pigm, 70 (2006) 238.
Reactive Red 22 and C. I. Reactive Blue 19 dyed 15 Md.Samsul Alam, Arifuzzaman KhanG M, Abdur Razzaque
samples show that fading increases progressively S M, Jamil Hossain M & Minhaz-ul-Haque M, Indian
with time of light exposure. The application of UV J Fibre Text Res, 33 (2008) 58.