Fluorescent Dyes in Textile Applications

The main use of fluorescent dyes is in the coloration of synthetic fibres, especially polyester, polyamide and acrylics in conjunction with elastane fibres, for fashion, leisure and especially sportswear uses. The fluorescent textiles offer not only high design options but also a large degree of safety in use, for instance increasing the visibility of cyclists and runners in busy urban areas. 

The largest usage is in polyester and many dyestuff companies have disperse dye ranges for this purpose, some of which are also applied to polyamide fibres. The main colours are in the yellow, orange, red, pink and violet areas with coumarins, methines and perylene dominating the structural classes. 

Fluorescent blue colours are less common and are usually in the bright turquoise shade area, with anthraquinones such as Cl Disperse Blue 60 or the newer methines such as Cl Disperse Blue 354 or indoanilines being the products of choice. Typical products from the ranges of DyStar and BASF (textile colours business is now part of DyStar) are given in Table 3.7. 

Many cationic dyes for acrylic fibres, especially methines, such as Cl Basic Red 13, Cl Basic Violet 7 and Cl Basic Red 74 are very bright and fluorescent and hence this fibre has a place in fluorescent textiles. 

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