Cationization of cotton fabrics and dyeing

them with Reactive dyes.

Raheem Umer

05-NTU-43

Textile Chemistry

A thesis based for requirement of B.Sc Textile

Engineering (Textile Chemistry)

Department of Textile Chemistry

National Textile University,
Faisalabad
(2004-2008)
 Dedication

Those who live in our heart,

throughout the whole span of our life,

whose devotion and prayers make us

able and nearest,

dearest and deepest to us.

To our beloved parents.

 Acknowledgement

I feel great pleasure in acknowledging our indebtedness to

all those who have been of substantial help and support to
us during the preparation of this manuscript.
The work presented in this manuscript was accomplished
under the inspiring guidance and enlightened supervision
of Dr. Tanveer Hussain, Head of department of textile
chemistry, National Textile University, Faisalabad. His
efforts towards the inculcation of the sprit of constant work
and maintenance of professional integrity besides other
valuable words of advice encouraged us to keep on fighting
against all over whelming odds till success was ensured.
We avail this opportunity to express our deepest sense of
gratitude and thankfulness to him.
I deem it utmost pleasure to express our heartiest gratitude
and deep sense of obligation to Sir Ali Raza Ali and Sir
Hammad Cheema for their guidance, co-opeeration,
encouragement and invaluable suggestions throughout the
course of the project in Nishat Dyeing and Finishing,
Lahore. I thank all the staff of the textile chemistry lab for
their cooperation and assistance during the performance of
our experimental work.
The completion of this project is a long term task and
needs an ideal atmosphere for its completion. We pay
tribute to all our well wishers and class fellows for their
cooperation and sincere help.
Abstract

Cationization is emerging an effective tool that solves

the environmental problems associated with dyeing of
cotton with anionic dyes, in this research work, the dyeing
properties of cationized cotton that had been pretreated
with cationic fixing agents were examined. Fixation, color
yield and fastness properties were evaluated for number of
reactive dyes with cationized cotton fabrics.

The cotton fabric was treated with cationic fixing

agents i.e. FIXANOL PN and MATEXIL FCER by varying
the concentration of fixing agents. The concentrations of
fixing agents were 10 g/L, 20g/L and 30g/L.the cationized
cotton samples were then dyed with different reactive dyes
i.e. Leavafix, Cibacrone, and Remazol containing different
reactive groups. After dyeing, the properties which were
treated are as follows:

1. Washing Fastness
2. Rubbing Fastness(Dry and Wet)
3. Color depth

The results showed that wash and rubbing fastness of

cationized cotton, dyed with different reactive dyes were
improved. The results showed higher increase in light
shades and lesser increase in dark shades. Also the
Cationization of cotton was found to be very effective in
increasing the color yield.
Introduction:
The fiber reactive dyes are known as the best for
cotton for its wide range of applications and best fastness
properties. However all the reactive dyeing systems require
huge amount of electrolyte and alkali to exhaust and fix the
dye respectively.

These electrolytes are neither exhausted nor destroyed

and hence remain in the dye bath after dyeing. All the
above only 60 to 65% dye utilization is attainable even with
the use of salt in the normal dyeing systems.

When alkalinity is introduced in the bath in order to

facilitate the formation of covalent bond between the fiber
and functional groups of reactive dyes. The abundance of
hydroxyl ions causes significant hydrolysis of reactive
dyes. Those hydrolyzed dye are called ‘’Dead Dyes’’ As
they have no affinity towards cotton and hence remain in
the dye bath, deposition of same on the fiber significantly
lower the fastness properties that calls on severe wash-off.

Reactive dye thus pollutes the environment by

discharging highly colored reactive dye baths and higher
electrolyte concentration. Higher electrolyte concentration
effluents cause worse effects such as:

1. Impairing the delicate bio chemistry of aquatic

organisms.
2. Destructive attack on concrete pipes is sodium
sulphate is used as electrolyte due to the
 formation of alumino-sulphato complexes which
swell and crack concrete with considerable
alumina content.
3. Evolution of hydrogen sulphide gas under
anaerobic conditions when sodium sulphate is
used as electrolyte.
4. Dissolution of such sulphide and subsequent
bacterial oxidation to harmful sulphuric acid.

OPTIONS FOR REDUCTION OF SALTS

1. Shifting from exhaust to pad-batch dyeing.

2. Shifting from higher liquor ratio to lower
liquor ratio machines.
3. Recycling the salt contaminated dye bath after
eliminating the hydrolyzed dye.
4. Molecular engineering of reactive dyes to have
good affinity and good wash-off properties.
5. Molecular modification of fiber to have greater
affinity and attraction towards anionic dyes.

The last option totally eliminates the salt and

reduces alkali considerably that leads to:

1. Reduction of colorant in the effluent.

2. Lower COD (chemical oxygen demand), BOD
(Biological oxygen demand), TDS (Total
dissolved solvents) and no AOX (absorbable
organic halogens) in the effluents.
 3. Reduced no of wash –offs and elimination of
neutralization.
4. Reduced effluent volume
5. Increased productivity due to reduced dyeing
time.
6. Increased dye utilization.
7. Reduced cost of dyeing and cost of effluent
treatment.

Numerous processes have been proposed

to improve the substantivity of anionic dyes for
cellulose by introducing cationic sites in the fiber.
In this research work an attempt has been made to
optimize the process condition to cationize the
cotton with FIXANOL PN and MATEXIL FCER
cationizing agent and to critically analyze the
influence of process variables on cationizing
efficiency.