Dyes

Essential qualities of dyes are fastness, colour, low cost, and uniformity. They must also be water
soluble, substantive (attractive) to the textile substrate, and reactive with the textile fibres. The
colour of a dye depends on its chemical bonds: its pi bonds, multiple bonds and unsaturated
groups. Dyes are classified according to their method of application, or sometimes according to
their chemical constitution. How they interact with their substrate depends on the nature of the
substrate. Generally, cellulosic and proteinaceous fibres are Hydrophilic?. Fibres from a synthetic
source tend to be hydrophobic. The types of dyes that can be used with each type of fibre are
shown below. The fibre types are in blue, and the dye classes in red.

(Click here for pdf version)

There are three stages to the dyeing process. Stage one involves the migration and adsorption of
the dye onto the fibre, stage 2 involves the diffusion of the dye from the fibre surface to the rest
of the fibre, and stage 3 involves the anchoring of the dye. Anchoring takes places in 5 possible
ways:
1) Ionic attraction between charged groups. Used by acid dyes on a polyamide or basic
dyes
on
acrylic.
2) Formation of a large insoluble dye molecule inside the fibre. This is the method of
attachment
for
vat,
azo,
and
sulfur
dyes
on
cotton
fibres.
3) Formation of covalent bonds (these are chemical bonds with shared electrons). Reactive
dyes
on
cotton
or
polyamide
employ
this
method.
4) Formation of a solid solution inside the fibres. This is a hydrophobic interaction and is

used
by
disperse
dyes
on
polyester.
5) Formation of hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. This is a relatively weak
method of binding and is used by disperse dyes on cotton.
There are five main types of dyes used on cotton: vat, sulfur, reactive, azoic and direct dyes. Vat
dyes are expensive and difficult to apply, but convey excellent wash and light fastness. Sulfur
dyes are economical and easy to apply but tend to be limited to dark colour shades. Sulfur black
is the most used dye in the world. Reactive dyes are the only type of dye to have an increasing
worldwide use. They are relatively cheap, with excellent light and wash fastness and bright
colours. However, 10-40% of reactive dyes are wasted and high salt concentrations pollute
rivers. Direct dyes are cheap and applied at the boil, but bond only weakly to their substrate.
Azoic dyes form an insoluble dye inside the fibre and display very vivid colours.
Polyester is dyed with disperse dyes, which are non-ionic. They are ground into a very fine
powder before being dissolved in the dye bath. They form a dispersion in the dye bath and then
diffuse into the fibre.
Reactive, disperse and acid dyes are used to dye nylon. Acid dyes rely on ion-ion forces for their
substantivity between fibre and dye. Barr patterns may result from acid dyeing. They are barred
or striped patterns, usually undesirable, that occur due to physical and chemical differences
between the fibres.
Acrylic is dyed using disperse or basic dyes. Basic dyes are positively charged (usually contain
NH3+ groups) and give excellent light and wash fastness with brilliant hues.
Wool is dyed using acid, mordant or reactive dyes. Fittingly, mordant dyes are applied alongside
a mordant, which is usually a metal-based compound. Together they form a complex that is
retained by the substrate.

Lab dyeing. Small Samples to test recipes

(Picture Courtesy of W T Johnson & Sons, The Textile Finishers)

Jet dyeing machine for high temperature dyeing.

(Picture Courtesy of W T Johnson & Sons, The Textile Finishers)

Winch dyeing machine. Atmospheric dyeing for a wide variety of delicate fabrics.
(Picture Courtesy of W T Johnson & Sons, The Textile Finishers)
(Back to Top)