Acid Dyes and Dyeing of Wool and

Nylon
PREPARED BY:
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL AB KADIR
 INTRODUCTION
• Acid dyes are water-soluble anionic dyes.
• Acid dyes are applied primarily to fibers such as
wool, silk and nylon.
• Normally they dye from an acid dyebath.
• Chemically the acid dyes consist of azo (including
metal complex azo), anthraquinone, azine,
triarylmethane, xanthane, ketonimine, nitro and
nitroso compounds.
• The color range is complete, many dyes being very
bright, although the metal-complex types are
relatively dull.
• All acid dyes can be grouped in three sub groups:-
acid levelling, acid milling and pre-metalized acid
dyes
 Acid Levelling Dyes
• Also known as equalizing dyes, these dyes produce
bright dyeing.
• good leveling properties.
• These dyes are easy to apply because they have a
relatively small molecular size and they are readily
soluble in water.
• These properties allow these dyes to diffuse and
migrate easily through the inner parts of the fibers and
level dyeing is readily attained.
• They are dyed from a dyebath containing strong acids
(sulphuric or formic acid).
• These dyes exhibit low wash and light fastness.
Figure: C.I. Acid Blue 2
 Acid Milling Dyes
• These dyes are made of larger molecules
than those of the acid leveling dyes and
• require only a weak acid (e.g. acetic acid)
or acid releasing salts (ammonium sulphate
or ammonium acetate).
• These dyes exhibit high light fastness and
are extensively used for dyeing woolen
fabrics.
• These dyes require great care in application
because uneven dyeing.
Figure: C.I. Acid Green 25

H SO3 - Na+

O N CH3

O N CH3
H
SO3 - Na+
 Pre-metalized Acid Dyes (Metal Complex
Dyes)
• These dyes represent an extension of mordant
dyes.
• The metal component being already incorporated
in the dye during manufacturing process.
• These dyes usually contain a Cr3+ ion (some
contain a cobalt ion) bonded with dye molecules
by ionic and coordinate bonds (1:1 complex or 2:1
complex).
• Very good light fastness even in pale shades.
Figure: C.I. Acid Blue 158 (1:1 metal
complex)
H2O
H2O H2O
Cr +++
O O SO3 - Na+

+-
Na O3S N=N
Figure: C.I. Acid Black 60 (2:1 metal
complex)

_
CH3-CO-NH
CH3-NH-O2S
N=N

-
O O-
Cr+++

- +
- Na
O O

N=N

SO2-NH-CH3
NH-CO-CH3
 The Structure of Wool (In Relating to Dyeing)
• Wool is a protein material made up of about twenty amino
acids linked together by PEPTIDE links to give
POLYPEPTIDE chains.
• The side chain (the functional R group), is mainly
responsible for the dyeing properties of the fiber. This side
chains vary markedly in chemical nature and size and may
be hydrophilic, hydrophobic or acidic.

NH2 NH2 NH
R R1 R
COOH COOH CO
Peptide link
NH
R1
CO

Figure: Peptide Link

 The Application of Acid Dyes to Wool
• The most preferred method of dyeing wool is exhaust dyeing
which can be carried out at different stages of production i.e.
raw stock, yarn, fabric or finished garments.
• The dyebath must be in acidic condition (by adding acidic
chemical e.g. 2% H2SO4 o.w.f.).
• This acid may react with the wool to produce positively
charged ammonium groups (-NH3+) on the fibers according to
the following equations:

NH2 + HCl NH3+Cl-

wool

NH3+-OOC + HCl NH3+ H -OOC

wool

Figure: The Formation of Positively Charged Ammonium Groups

• The negatively charged colored ions (anions) of the dye
are attracted to the positively charged -NH3+ groups on
the fiber, thus combining with the fiber through an ionic
exchange reaction to yield the colored fiber:

-
DYE---SO3 Na+ + WOOL---NH3+ Cl - -
DYE---SO3 + H3N---WOOL + NaCl

(COLORED FIBER)

Figure: Mechanism of Dyeing Wool with Acid Dye

In this reaction the substantive dye anion replaces the anion
of the acid (Cl-, HSO4-, CH3COO-, etc) which has a very low
affinity for the fiber.

wool

NH3+
O
H ionoc bond
O N=N SO3-
Hydrogen bond

Van der Waals forces

Figure: Chemical Bonds between an Acid Dye and Wool

 Table: General Trends in Properties of Acid dyes

Acid Dye Acid Levelling Acid Milling Neutral Dyeing

Type of Acid Strong Weak Ammonium Salts
(2-4% H2SO4) (2-4% CH3COOH) ( (NH4)2SO4)
C.I. Method#3 C.I. Method#2 C.I. Method#1
(pH<3.5) (pH 3.5 – 5.5) (pH 5.5 – 7)
Solubility high Low

Substantivity low High

Level Dyeing Very good Fair

Rate of Slow fast

Exhaustion
Dyeing Time Relatively short Longer time

Wet-fastness fair Very good

Color-range Wide range with bright Moderate brightness

colors
Molecular Relatively smaller size Larger size
Structure