PRINTING OF COTTON MATERIAL WITH REACTIVE DYEING:

The full gamut of colours in the reactive class of dyes, which is one of its
significant advantages, is obtained by employing a wide range of chromophores. The
introduction of reactive dyes for cellulosic fibres has given the printer the possibility of
using only one type of dye and simple application conditions, in place of the complex
permutations necessary at one time.

The formation of a covalent bond between dye and fibre makes it possible to use
dyes which, unlike the vat and direct dyes, are of small molecular size and good
solubility. These dyes can be brighter, faster-diffusing and, in the hydrolysed form, easily
removed in the washing-off process. When selecting reactive dyes for printing, the
factors of importance for dyeing must be considered but, in addition, attention must be
paid to print paste stability and staining of the ground during washing-off.

Various methods of printing reactive dyes depending upon the process used for
fixation of the dye are as under:

1. Steaming process
2. Backing or thermo-fixing process
3. Flash-ageing process
4. Wet development process
5. Silicate padding or pad-batch process
6. Air-hanging process
SILICATE PADDING OR PAD-BATCH PROCESS

Reactive dyes for printing mostly belonging to vinyl sulphone group SO2-
CH=CH2 are used for extensively for printing cotton materials. They can be fixed
without steaming so we can use for cottage industry. The fixation of these dyes after
printing is brought about by padding the printed material with a solution of sodium
silicate (of about 106° Tw strength) and subsequently batching it for 12-14 hours
followed by washing. Sodium silicate acts as a fixing agent. The colour yield obtained
by the pad-silicate process is considerably higher than that obtained by the conventional
steaming process. These dyes are marketed under various trade names such as Remazol,
Navictive dyes. Another group of reactive dyes are marketed under the names Procion
Supra and Cibacron Pront dyes. Procion supra dyes were introduced by ICI.

Process route

Print the fabric

Drying at 102°C for 3-5 mins

Nip-padded through sodium silicate

at 106° Tw (52° Be`)

Batched for 12-14hrs

Rinsed, soaped at boiled

Rinsed and dried

Printing recipe:
Dye - 50 parts
Urea - 100 parts
Water - 480 parts
Sodium alginate - 360 parts
Thickening (6%)

Resist salt L - 10 parts

Total 1000 parts
Padding and batching:
Sodium silicate (47-52°Be`) with Na2O content 13.4 and silica content
27.3 to 28.3 at pH 11.4 to 12.0 may be used for better fixation. After completion of
padding process the fabric is subjected to batch it for 12-14 hrs (depends upon the depth
of shade). Then immediately send to washing and after-treatments.
Washing and after-treatments:

After completion of batching period, the material is directly taken into rinsing at
room temperature the soaping is carried out by following conditions soap 2gpl at
temperature of about boiling for 10 mins. Then the fabric is taken for cold rinsing and
sends to drying chamber. These are the methods normally followed by industries.