Product Information Process Auxiliaries

®
Sera Gal N-ER

Levelling agent with fibre affinity for dyeing polyamide

Function Levelling agent to minimise barré in dyeing polyamide with acid and
pre-metallised dyestuffs

Properties - dyeing polyamide with acid dyes and 1:2 pre-metallised dyes
- reduction of streaky dyeing polyamide articles produced from fibres with
different structures, used as pretreatment before dyeing or in the dyebath
- controlled differential effect if using defined product amounts in dyeing
differential polyamide materials
- reserving of polyamide fibres in dyeing polyamide/wool blends
- does not impair light fastness of dyed fabrics
- free of APEO and phosphates

Chemical Characteristics Preparation of aryl sulphonates

Technical Data Appearance: yellow, clear, liquid

pH: 7 - 9 (substance)
Density: 1.05 g/cm³
Ionicity: anionic
Dilution procedure: easily soluble in water
Shelf life: 24 month in closed original containers

Sera Gal N-ER - 2008/11 Page 1 of 3

Application

Because of the product's affinity to the fibre, the amount required must be
calculated on the basis of the fibre saturation value of the polyamide and the
structure of the substrate.
Due to the foaming nature of Sera Gal N-ER it might be necessary on jet dyeing
machines to use antifoamer, e.g. Sera Foam M-58 K or Sera Foam M-HTS.
General recommendation
General recommendations for dyeing of Pa with acid and 1:2 metal
complex dyes
Application in the dyebath

Pale Medium Heavy

shades shades shades

Sera Gal N-ER 5 - 4% 4 - 3% 3 - 1.5%

It is advantagous to use, beside the purely fibre affine leveller Sera Gal N-ER
additionally a leveller with affinity to dyestuff, e.g. 0.5 - 1% Sera Gal N-FS or
1 - 2% Sera Gal N-LP. Thus the indicated amounts of Sera Gal N-ER may be
reduced by up to 50%.
For covering severe barriness we recommend to apply a preboiling method.
The material is pretreated with
3 - 5% Sera Gal N-ER
at pH 5, 20 min at 100 °C.
Afterwards the liquor is cooled down to 80 °C, pH ist adjusted respectively and
after addition of dyes and heating till the boil the process is proceeded as usual.
Particularly in this case we recommend the combination with a dyestuff affine
leveller, e.g. 0.5 - 1% Sera Gal N-FS or 1 - 2% Sera Gal N-LP.
Differential dyeing of PA
Sera Gal N-ER is recommended for differential dyeing, if control (reduction) of
differentiation resp. contrast is aimed at.
In case of cross dyeing materials there is the necessity for a separate
antiprecipitant, which again increases the contrast slightly: Sera Gal W-MKS
and/or Sera Gal M-IW
Normal differentiation: 0.5 - 1 % Sera Gal N-ER
Low differentiation: 1 - 3 % Sera Gal N-ER
Resist agent for use in the dyeing of wool/polyamide blends
The amounts required depend on the blend ratio, dyes and depth of shade.
Wool/polyamide blends
When dyeing wool/polyamide blends, Sera Gal N-ER ensures excellent reserving
of polyamide fibres from sulfonated dyes. Its reserving effect is dye-specific. This
should be borne in mind when selecting dye combinations.
It can be used to dye wool/polyamide blends in all make-up forms.

Sera Gal N-ER - 2008/11 Page 2 of 3

 Amounts required
The amount of Sera Gal N-ER needed depends on depth of shade, dyes used and
the type of polyamide. When using acid dyes, the dye/reserving agent diagram
below can be used as a guide to calculate the amount required.
For metal complex dyeings and in some cases for acid dyeings as well the pure
resisting agent Sera Fast N-HW might be the better alternative. However there
must be considered its lack of levelling effect.
Therefore in terms of optimization of effect and recipe costs the might be quite
useful to combine the stronger levelling Sera Gal N-ER with the stronger
resisting Sera Gal N-HW without negative interferences.
In some recipes, particularly in case of deep shades, the shade of PA considerably
differs from that of wool. This effect can be hardly prevented neither by Sera Gal
N-ER nor by other resisting agents. Dye resist agent diagram for acid dyes e.g.
Telon® S-WP
The amounts of Sera Gal N-ER shown in the chart should be taken as a guide.
They can be reduced by up to 25% in some cases. If Sera Gal N-ER is used in
combination with Sera Fast N-HW, the indicated application amounts may be
reduced by up to 70%. The application amounts of Sera Fast N-HW are
described in respective technical info sheet.
8,0
7,6
7,2
6,8
6,4
Agent de réserve de teinture [%]

6,0
5,6
5,2
4,8
4,4 Perlon
4,0 (PA 6)
3,6
3,2
2,8
Nylon
2,4
2,0 (PA 6.6)
1,6
1,2
0,8
0,4
0,0
0,0 0,4 0,8 1,2 1,6 2,0 2,4 2,8 3,2 3,6 4,0

Profondeur de ton [%]

DyStar Textilfarben GmbH & Co. Deutschland KG This information and our technical advice - whether verbal, in
Industriepark Höchst, Building B 598 writing or by way of trials - are given in good faith but without
warranty, and this also applies where proprietary rights of third
65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany parties are involved. Our advice does not release you from the
Phone: ++49 (0) 69 - 21 09 - 26 86 obligation to check its validity and to test our products as to their
Fax Marketing: ++49 (0) 69 - 21 09 - 76 86 suitability for the intended processes and uses. The application, use
and processing of our products and the products manufactured by
Fax Sales: ++49 (0) 69 - 21 09 - 26 20
you on the basis of our technical advice are beyond our control and,
DyStar.Auxiliaries@DyStar.com therefore, entirely your own responsibility. Our products are sold in
www.DyStar.com accordance with our General Conditions of Sale and Delivery.

Sera Gal N-ER - 2008/11 Page 3 of 3