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Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research

Vol. 23, June 1998, pp. 110-114

.•

Studies in the right-first-time dyeing of cellulose with reactive

dyes: Role of material-to-liquor ratio
B Nanda

Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association, Ahmedabad 380 015, India

Received 4 February 1997; revised received and accepted 26 May 1997

The effect of variation in the material-to-liquor ratio on 37 commercially available reactive dyes (25
Procion and 12 Remazol) has been studied. It is observed that the extent of variation in the KlS value due to
the variation in material-to-liquor ratio is different for different dyes. Based on the effect of variation in
material-to-liquor ratio, the dyes have been classified into following three different groups : dyes which are
marginally affected ; dyes which are moderately affected ; and dyes which are significantly affected. The ...-

reproducibility of dyes which are marginally affected by the variation in material-to--liquor ratio is better
than that of the dyes of other two groups.

Keywords: Dyeing, KlS value, Reactive dyes

1 Introduction concentration of dye. As the liquor ratio is

In dye houses processing cellulosic fibres using increased, the dye obviously shows a tendency to
reactive dyes, much progress .has already been remain in the aqueous medium, resulting in lower
made in the quest for zero defect production by depth of shade4• This is the reason why most of the
introducing controlled colouration techniques that machine manufacturers these days resort to the
support level dyeing performance. There is, manufacturing of low liquor ratio dyeing machines.
however, still scope for further improvement, It is, however, important to bear in mind that every
particularly in the field of shade reproducibility. dye may not be affected to the same extent with the
Right-first-time dyeing (RFT) has for many years variation in liquor ratio. This is because the extent
been reviewed as the impossible goal for to which a dye will be affected is an inherent
colourists. Many ideas surround the concept of property of the dye itself. The very molecular and
right-first-time colouration ranging from single no chemical nature of the dye is responsible for
addition dyeing to the management of all those making every dye behave in a specific manner. The
factors that affect the colouration of textiles, present work was aimed at carrying out an
resulting in RFT dyeingl,2. The latter definition experimental analysis to ascertain how different
+-
implies the total control of all the factors, which dyes respond to the variation in material-to-liquor
are often called as assignable variables, that can ratio.
influence colouration and cause a shade to deviate
2 Materials and Methods
from the standard. The assignable variables
include: internal pH of the fabric at the start of the 2.1 Substrate
dyeing; material-to-liquor ratio; temperature 100% cotton, mercerized fabric having the
gradient; fixation temperature; electrolyte following specifications was used for the study :
concentration; addition profile of the dye, ends x picks, 64 x 64 and count, 60s x 60s.
electrolyte and fixation alkali; fixation pH and 2.2 Dyes and Chemicals
time3• Of all thefie, material-to-liquor ratio, beyond Thirty-seven commercially available reactive
doubt, is of primary importance . dyes (25 Procion and 12 Remazol) were taken for .::
It is a well-known fact that the material-to-liquor the study. Sodium sulphate and sodium carbonate
ratio affects the depth of shade for a givep were used for exhaustion and fixation respectively

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 NANDA: RIGHT-FIRST-TIME DYEING OF CELLULOSE 111

2.3 Dyeing influences the depth of shade was determined by

The samples were dyed in Ahiba Nuance calculating the strength ratios (SR) with M:L =
r-'
laboratory dyeing machine with 0.2% and 2% 1:20 as a reference point. Thus,
shades (0.5% and 5% for blacks). The material-to-
SRs = (K / S) s x 100 ... (4)
liquor ratio was kept at 1:5, 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20. (K / S)20
Reverse osmosis purified water was used in
dyeing. Dyeing was carried out by salt-at-start SR = (K / S)IO x 100 ... (5)
methods,. Anhydrous sodium sulphate and sodium 10 (K / Sho
carbonate were used. The dye bath was prepared at
SR = (K/S)ls xl00 ... (6)
room temperature with reactive dye and sodium
IS (K / Sho
sulphate. The dye bath was set at the required
material-to-liquor ratio. Cotton fabric sample (lOg) SR = (K / S)20 xl 00 ... (7)
was immersed in the bath and dyeing was started. 20 (K / S)20
Temperature was then raised as per the where SR represents the strength ratios; K/S=K/Sd-
specification (depending upon the class of the dye) K/Sb; and suffix 5, 10, 15 and 20 stand for the
and the material was run for the required time. material-to-Iiquor ratios 1:5, 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20
This was followed by the addition of the calculated respectively.
amount of sodium carbonate. The samples were
then run for one hour. After the completion of the 3 Results' and Discussion
dyeing the samples were removed, thoroughly Table 1 shows that the strength ratios vary
washed and soaped with a neutral soap to remove depending upon not only the material-to-liquor
the unfixed dye. Finally, the samples were dried ratio but also the concentration of the dye on the
and taken for further study. The dyeing sequence fabric. Notwithstanding this, it is possible to
followed and the amount of salt and alkali added broadly classify the reactive dyes used into the
were as per the recommendations of the dye following three groups:
-' manufacturers. Group 1 : Dyes marginally affected by M:L.
Group 2 : Dyes moderately affected by M:L.
2.4 Analysis of Samples
Group 3 : Dyes significantly affected by M:L.
K/S values (coefficient of absorbed
The practical relevance of this finding is that if
light/coefficient of scattered light) of all the
Group 1 dyes are used, the shade will not be
samples were determined using ACS Spectro significantly affected by small variations in M:L.
Sensor n spectrophotometer. K/S is related to On the other hand, if Group 3 dyes are used, even
reflectance R according to the Kubelka-Munk
minor variation in M:L can lead to significant
relationship6 :
variation in shade. This fact was verified by dyeing
K / S = (l-R)2 · .. (1) fabric samples with a series of tertiary dye
2R combinations of both Group 1 and Group 3 dy~s at
Colour difference DE was calculated· in M:L of 1:7, 1:10 and 1:13. The colour difference
CIELAB space according to the following values (CIE-DE) of the sainples were measured
equation: and the results are reported in Tables 2 and 3. It
may be observed that when the M:L decreases
CIE-DE=(DL 2+Da2+Db2)112 · .. (2) from 1:10 to 1:7, the CIE-DE in case of Group I
dyes varies from 0.46 to 0.87 whereas in case of
The K/S values of the dyed. samples were Group 3 dyes, it varies from 2.57 to 6.26. Again,
denoted by KfSd and that of undyed sample by when the M:L changes from I: 10 to 1:13, the CIE-
K/Sb. The K/Sd value was adjusted by deducting the DE in case of Group 1 dyes varies from 0.48 to
K/Sb value of the undyed sample as follows: 0.98 whereas in case of Group 3 dyes, it varies
from 2.90 to 4.59.
K/S=KfSaK/Sb · .. (3) As has already been stated in the introduction,
this change in the dye behaviour can be due to the
The extent to which the material-to-liquor ratio change in the chemical and molecular structures of
 "II ",J, II i",l, ",I I. ii, ,I, III '" "t ,i li"J~,11JI Il,~
11'11
IIL" Iii IIII~~1I1U I IIld ,Iii; II Il:Ii----J- I II I 11 III ."1

A
'/--
112 Black 1l0.67
121.12
150.22
Bril.Red116.94
134.36
107.98
107.93
Bri1.Yellow
YellowHE4R
Bril.RedM8B
259.95
432.61
211.03
II9
151.68
146.38
114.08
113.96
107.37
118.06
123.33
117.28
146.5
115.44
100
120.01
128.51
104.68
Bril.Red
BlueM4GD
100
100113.13
100.46
102.52
107.51
123.61
111.5
108.45
117.81
104.02
107.76
100.66
YellowMGR
GreenHE4BD
Bri1.Red
Bri1.Red 299.34
146.38
106.53
106.68
101.63
113.36
149.12
Bri1.Yellow
Gold. 102.61
II3.45
155.99
II7.71
2108.75
276.29
283.69
241.31
347.01
171.85
164.65
120.98
133.36
II6.35
182.8
125.6
182.29
172.92
127.35
104.66
134.13
179.26
268.15
307.99
198.19
178.91
105.52
130.32
136.31
II3.76399.47
100.26
121.58
Yellow
IIO.75
120.39
II4.19
EB
121.3
129.62
106.46
106.08
103.19
124.71
118.13
145.67
154.31
117.41
IIO.68
103.57
II7.14
119.33
116.76
152.61
122.41
126.07
104.99
121.03
128.59
II7.81
123.3
142.04
107.25
108.09
101.81
124.6
162.48
183.28
396.52
II HGR
102.12
110.75
122.9
138.67
104.01
101.06
101.23
107.49
146.68
134.98
100
283.27
131.57
166.76
II
112.39
208.6
Bril.Blue
Navy
Navy
Dye
Turq. 145.23
142.13
187.677.52
8.97
H8B
M5B
8.26H4G
Cone.
104.16
126.25
145.59
112.18
113.89
179.89
147.92
149.54
205.6101.88
II5.12
171.71
170.67
133.24
Blue
Bril.Orange
Bri1.0range
Blue
HEG
Category
SR1S
SRzoSRs
SRIO 1.09
HE3B
HE7B
4.89
108.39
1I5.33 H4BN
H5GHE6G
HER
H3R
M3RHR
H2R
M2R
HER ¥ Shade
2
0.2 %
INDIAN LEIBRETEXT. ofRES.,
dye JUNE 1998
(Group) Yellow 86
(Conte/)

Table l--Strength ratios ofreaetive dyes at various M:L ratios

11,I·illllI ,11'11 11'111:1 F

 NANDA: RIGHT -FIRST-TIME DYEING OF CELLULOSE 113

YellowFG
RedRB 302.16
308.24
154.19
199.09
192.06
180.65
132.13
118.28
193.96
164.36
128.26
173.53
120.43
132.58
112.24
103:36
117.59
104.4
124.08
114.31
120.17
111.36
107.61
Bril.Blue
Brl.Red
Blue3R
Gold.100
Yellow 3218.89
135.08
135.14
],41.62
202.65
158.52
117.09
122.03
101.02
175.49
176.95
338.46
133.5
184.83
100142.47
297.83
286.66
361.72
219.73
160.38
123.93
173.75
112.37
Bril.Violet
Dye 154.22
158.61
130.06
145.81
145.66
Yellow
125.33
117.05
105.62
108.1
129.75
116.77
121.82
143.83
148.72
133.11
146.24
111.9
183.35
163.82
208.93
142.68
109.65
127.25
BlackRL-1D
BlackB-1D
106.59
Turq.BlueG
Bril.Orange
Category
100SRs
SR20
SRIO
SRIS GR-ID
5B-1D
BB-ID
151.94
119.535RRNL-ID
3R-1D 0.2
22
Shade
Table I-Strength % of reactive dyesof atdyevarious M:L ratios--Contd
ratios
(Group)
Sl

%
01:10-
Rl.94
I1:7
0.68
0.5
0.46
0.87
0.49
.98
0.2
.56
1:13
0.65
0.33
Table 2-CIE-DE %
. 0.2
.480.33
.54 Bl
0.5 CIE-DE
1.0 of Group value
1 dyes at M:L M:L ratios
at different the individual dyes. But, the structures of most of
Yl
0.2 Recipe the reactive dyes taken for the study are not yet
disclosed by the manufacturers. Once the dye
structures are known, the reason for this change in
the dye behaviour can be interpreted better.
4 Conclusion
Better shade control can be achieved if the
reactive dyes less sensitive to the M:L ratio
YI-Procion Yellow HE4R; BI-Procion Navy Blue HER; changes are used for dyeing. This is a small step
and RI-Procion Bril.Red HE3B towards RFT dyeing.
• M:L = 1: 10 is kept as reference
Table 3--CIE-DE of Group 3 dyes at different M:L ratios Acknowledgement
This work is a part of the research funded by the
Recipe CIE-DE value at M:L
YI BI RI 1:7 1:10- 1:13 Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The
% % % .author is grateful to the Ministry for the financial
0.2 0.5 1.0 2.57 o 4.59 support.
0.5 1.0 0.2 5.6 o 4.47
1.0 0.2 0.5 6.26 o 3.67 References
0.5 0.5 0.5 4.91 o 4.26 J
1 Collishaw P S, Glover B & Bradbury M J, Soc Dyers
0.33 0.33 0.33 5.73 o 2.9 Colour, 108 (1992) 13.
2 Bradbury M J, Collishaw P S & Moorhouse S, Text Chern
YI-Procion Bril.Yellow H4G; BI-Procion Bril.Blue H5G; Color, 27 (1995) 19.
and RI-Procion Bril.Red H4BN
3 Bradbury M J, Collishaw P S & Moorhouse S, Book of
• M:L = I: 10 is kept as reference Papers (American Association of Textile Chemists &
 I
1,)/ ,~ II i ,,,I
I, ,,1 I II I 1/, " J. 11,111lI1 •• lill 111111111
I'NII "I aH JH.' 11 I 111'1 '11'1

114 INDIAN 1. FIBRE TEXT. RES., JUNE 1998

Colourists), 1993, 336. dyes, University of Leeds, 18-19 September 1989.

4 Dietrich Hilderbrand & Joachim Wolff, Modern aspects of 5 Collishaw P S, Phillips 0 A S & Bradbury M J, J Soc ~
the dye-fibre reaction in reactive dyestuff application and Dyers Colour, 109 (I 993) 284.
development, paper presented at the International 6 Ann Catherine Ericson & Stefan Posner. Text Chern
Conference on the Chemistry and Application of Reactive Color, 6 (1996) 23.

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