Disperse Dyeing Processes

Earlier we found that the addition of alkyl-modified poly(propylene imine) dendrimers to polypropylene leads to fibers which can be dyed in conventional acid or disperse dyeing processes [3]. The alkyl chains make the additive compatible with the polypropylene matrix, while the polar core of the dendrimer can act as a receptor for the dye molecules. This host-guest behavior is analogous to the principle of the dendritic box as described by Meijer et al. [30] and elaborated by Baars et al. for dye extraction processes [31]. 

Dispersant concentrate for use in disperse dyeing processes. Supplied in powder form. 

Ferus-Comelo, M., Clark, M. and Parker, S. (2005), Optimisation of the disperse dyeing process using dyebath analysis. Coloration Technology 121(5) 255-7. 

Antlblaze 19. Antiblaze 19 (Mobil), a flame retardant for polyester fibers (134), is a nontoxic mixture of cycHc phosphonate esters. Antiblaze 19 is 100% active, whereas Antiblaze 19T is a 93% active, low viscosity formulation for textile use. Both are miscible with water and are compatible with wetting agents, thickeners, buffers, and most disperse dye formulations. Antiblaze 19 or 19T can be diffused into 100% polyester fabrics by the Thermosol process for disperse dyeing and printing. This requires heating at 170—220°C for 30—60 s. 

Application Techniques, Structural Variations, and Fastness Properties. When appHed to polyester fiber, many of the disperse dyes originally developed for ceUulose acetate were found to be deficient in Hghtfastness, build-up properties, and especially fastness to the high temperatures employed in the newer dyeing and finishing, printing, and Thermosol (dry heat) processes. 

Diaminoanthraquinone is an important intermediate for vat dyes and disperse dyes, and is prepared by oxidizing leuco-l,4-diaminoanthraquinone with nitrobenzene in the presence of piperidine. An improved process has been reported (45). 

Dyeing Mechanism. Unmodified polyester fibers are very hydrophobic and absorb only minimal amounts of water and are therefore only dyeable with hydrophobic disperse dyes. The mechanism of dyeing is by simple partition, the so-called soHd solution mechanism. The dyeing process can be described by the general scheme... 

This process, based on strong reducing agents, can be avoided by the use of disperse dyes that are removed by aqueous alkaH alone. Two types of dye are used dyes containing diesters of carboxyHc acid and dyes destroyed by mild alkaH. The reaction of diester dyes is shown in equation 5. 

Wool—Polyester Fibers. The 45/55 wool—polyester blend is the most common fiber combination in the worsted industry. Strength and exceUent dimensional stabiHty of the polyester fiber enable the creation of lightweight wear fabrics not obtainable before. Economy has modified the fiber ratio and 30/70 and 20/80 wool—polyester blends are as common as the classical 45/55 blend. Disperse dyes for polyester and acid or neutral premetaUized dyes for wool are employed in a one-bath process. Should cationic dyes be used for the wool portion, a one-bath procedure can only be employed for light to medium shades, whereas dark shades require a one-bath two-step process. Wool blends should not be dyed above 105°C in order to avoid deterioration of the fiber quaHty. 

The process of textile print coloration can be divided into three steps. First, the colorant is appHed as pigment dispersion, dye dispersion, or dye solution from a vehicle caUed print paste or printing ink, containing in addition to the colorant such solutions or dispersions of chemicals as may be required by the colorant or textile substrate to improve and assist in dye solubUity, dispersion stabUity, pH, lubricity, hygroscopicity, rate of dye fixation to the substrate, and colorant-fiber bonding. The required viscosity characteristics of a print paste are achieved by addition of natural or synthetic thickening agents or by use of emulsions. 

In both these continuous processes medium to high energy disperse dyes should be used to avoid the risk of dye subliming to contaminate the atmosphere of the fixation unit and then staining the print by vapor-phase dyeing, or to produce a loss of definition of the printed mark due to diffusion from the appHed thickened paste. 

Impart a bright and intense colour to a substrate by a process which at least temporarily destroys any crystal structure of the colouring substances. Dyes are transparent and easy to disperse and process. Dyes are incompatible with polyolefins, having a tendency to bleed and plate out. Due to the solubility and... 

The traditional use of dyes is in the coloration of textiles, a topic covered in considerable depth in Chapters 7 and 8. Dyes are almost invariably applied to the textile materials from an aqueous medium, so that they are generally required to dissolve in water. Frequently, as is the case for example with acid dyes, direct dyes, cationic dyes and reactive dyes, they dissolve completely and very readily in water. This is not true, however, of every application class of textile dye. Disperse dyes for polyester fibres, for example, are only sparingly soluble in water and are applied as a fine aqueous dispersion. Vat dyes, an important application class of dyes for cellulosic fibres, are completely insoluble materials but they are converted by a chemical reduction process into a water-soluble form that may then be applied to the fibre. There is also a wide range of non-textile applications of dyes, many of which have emerged in recent years as a result of developments in the electronic and reprographic... 

Processes devised to make cotton hydrophobic are summarised in Table 10.42. These processes are undoubtedly successful in conferring substantivity for disperse dyes but attaining compatibility within a range of dyes across the entire colour gamut and on fibre blends of various blend ratios could be a problem. In addition, ester bonds can be saponified... 

Proposed in the 1920s to confer easy-care properties. In 1976 process patents introduced for making cotton acceptable to disperse dyes in transfer printing. 

All azo dyes contain one or more azo groups (-N=N-) as chromophore in the molecule on the basis of the number of azo groups in each molecule, they are named monoazo-, disazo-, trisazo-, etc. The azo groups are in general bound to a benzene or naphthalene ring, but they can also be attached to heterocyclic aromatic molecules or to enolizable aliphatic groups. On the basis of the characteristics of the processes in which they are applied, the molecule of the dye is modified to reach the best performances so they can be acid dyes, direct dyes, reactive dyes, disperse dyes, or others. 

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