Reactive dyes application

Basic Theory of Fiber-Reactive Dye Application. The previously described mechanisms of dyeing for direct dyes apply to the apphcation of reactive dyes in neutral dyebaths. In alkaline solutions important differences are found. The detailed theoretical treatments are described elsewhere (6) but it is important to consider some of the parameters and understand how they influence the apphcation of fiber-reactive dyes. 

Correlation of Application, Affinity, and Reactivity. Figure 2 correlates liber-reactive dye application suitability to reactivity and affinity. 

Some acid rhodamines are used for silk and wool. Highly substituted acid rhodamines have been reported for fiber-reactive dye applications. 

Standard polyester fibers contain no reactive dye sites. PET fibers are typically dyed by diffusiag dispersed dyestuffs iato the amorphous regions ia the fibers. Copolyesters from a variety of copolymeri2able glycol or diacid comonomers open the fiber stmcture to achieve deep dyeabiHty (7,28—30). This approach is useful when the attendant effects on the copolyester thermal or physical properties are not of concern (31,32). The addition of anionic sites to polyester usiag sodium dimethyl 5-sulfoisophthalate [3965-55-7] has been practiced to make fibers receptive to cationic dyes (33). Yams and fabrics made from mixtures of disperse and cationicaHy dyeable PET show a visual range from subde heather tones to striking contrasts (see Dyes, application and evaluation). 

From an appHcations point of view, the sulfur dyes are between vat, direct, and fiber-reactive dyes. They give good to moderate lightfastness and good wetfastness at low cost and rapid processing (see Dyes, application and evaluation). 

Organic colors caused by this mechanism are present in most biological colorations and in the triumphs of the dye industry (see Azinedyes Azo dyes Eluorescent whitening agents Cyanine dyes Dye carriers Dyes and dye intert diates Dyes, anthraquinone Dyes, application and evaluation Dyes, natural Dyes, reactive Polymethine dyes Stilbene dyes and Xanthenedyes). Both fluorescence and phosphorescence occur widely and many organic compounds are used in tunable dye lasers such as thodamine B [81-88-9], which operates from 580 to 655 nm. 

Among these dye classes, anthraquiaone dyes are ia an important position ia reactive dyes and vat dyes for cellulose fibers, disperse dyes for polyester, and acid dyes for polyamide. Application for high performance organic pigments for plastics and paints are also important areas. 

Application Methods. There are many detailed appHcation methods used for applying reactive dyes, and all have been described in detail (16). Examples of the main methods may be summarized as follows. 

Herd KJ (1994) Fluorine-containing dyes A Reactive dyes. In Organofluorine Chemistry Principles and Commercial Applications (Eds RE Banks, BE Smart, JC Tatlow), pp. 287-314. Plenum Press, London. 

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... 

In Chapters 3-6, the commercially important chemical classes of dyes and pigments are discussed in terms of their essential structural features and the principles of their synthesis. The reader will encounter further examples of these individual chemical classes of colorants throughout Chapters 7 10 which, as a complement to the content of the earlier chapters, deal with the chemistry of their application. Chapters 7, 8 and 10 are concerned essentially with the application of dyes, whereas Chapter 9 is devoted to pigments. The distinction between these two types of colorants has been made previously in Chapter 2. Dyes are used in the coloration of a wide range of substrates, including paper, leather and plastics, but by far their most important outlet is on textiles. Textile materials are used in a wide variety of products, including clothing of all types, curtains, upholstery and carpets. This chapter deals with the chemical principles of the main application classes of dyes that may be applied to textile fibres, except for reactive dyes, which are dealt with exclusively in Chapter 8. 

As mentioned in Table 8.1, amphoteric surfactants contain both an anionic and a cationic group. In acidic media they tend to behave as cationic agents and in alkaline media as anionic agents. Somewhere between these extremes lies what is known as the isoelectric point (not necessarily, or even commonly, at pH 7), at which the anionic and cationic properties are counterbalanced. At this point the molecule is said to be zwitterionic and its surfactant properties and solubility tend to be at their lowest. These products have acquired a degree of importance as auxiliaries in certain ways [20-25], particularly as levelling agents in the application of reactive dyes to wool. 

It has been shown that xanthan gum is an effective migration inhibitor for the application of water-soluble chemicals, leading to uniform distribution and more reproducible fixation [379]. Although this work was specifically concerned with the application of a soluble flame retardant to polyester, suitability for the application of reactive dyes or resin finishes is also claimed. 

One of the earliest fibre pretreatments for improving the dyeability of cotton is of course mercerisation (section 10.5.4). However, more recent research interest in this area has been generated by environmental concerns about reactive dyeing, aiming to enhance substantivity for the modified fibre so that higher absorption and fixation are obtained. This results in less dye (hydrolysed or still active) in the effluent. A further objective is to minimise the usage of electrolyte in the application process. This area has been thoroughly reviewed [392,393]. 

Imaginative use has been made of triazine and sulphatoethylsulphone reactive dye chemistry in the application of pretreatments to nylon [405]. The concept resembles that used to make cotton cellulose reactive before dyeing with aminoalkylated dyes, as discussed earlier (Schemes 10.67 and 10.68). In this case, nylon becomes the reactive partner by pretreatment with a reactive multifunctional crosslinking agent ... 

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