How to check the fabric Suitability prior to start the Dyeing.

Bachelor of Applied Science (Textile Technology)-2012/2013

Lasitha Nawarathna

Key Parameters should be checked before starting the Dyeing

In order to avoid the quality problems that may arise due to the improper quality of greige (unprocessed) fabric or yarn, the following Quality Assurance measures has to be taken.

Key Parameters

1. Absorbency 2. Wettability 3. Fabric Core pH 4. Residual Peroxide 5. Water Hardness & quality 6. Residual Starch 7. Presence of Heavy metals 8. Whiteness Index/Degree of whiteness

Absorbency
Cotton is a versatile fabric used around the world due to its softness, comfort and wash-and-wear properties. The cotton fiber, which retains 24 to 27 times its weight in water, breathes by absorbing and releasing moisture quickly. This absorbent quality makes cotton an easy fabric to dye. Ideal dyes to use on cotton are cold water fiber reactive dyes, all-purpose dyes and direct dyes.
High moisture regain Absorb water molecules in to amorphous region due to OH hydrophilic groups Moisture regain = Mass of absorb water / Mass of dry fibre * 100 Moisture content = Mass of absorb water / Mass of wet fibre * 100

High strength due to high degree of polymerisation, Wet strength is higher (5%) than wet strength due to polymer alignment in the amorphous region

Why cotton fabric can be less absorbency

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Residual wax cuticle Residual pectin layer residual Starch Residual Mineral matter (Ash) Residual Other organic matter

Absorbency test
Test :- AATCC/ASTM Test Method TS-018 Method:This test method is designed to measure the water absorbency of textiles by measuring the time it takes a drop of water placed on the fabric surface to be completely absorbed into the fabric. Before dye some fabric if we can do this test we can identify fabric whether good for dyeing or no.

Wettability
Test 01 :- Draves Wetting Test (AATCC Standard Test 17)

The ability of a surfactant to wet textile substrates rapidly is a key performance property in many applications. The Draves Wetting Test (AATCC Standard Test 17) is a widely used laboratory procedure for ranking the relative wetting efficiencies of surfactants. This test is a timed

determination of the wetting of a cotton skein by dilute surfactant solutions. Shorter wetting times or lower wetting concentrations are indicative of better wetting efficiencies

Test 02 :- MSC Vertical Wicking Test

Using Vertical Wicking Test we can measures the distance water will wick up a cut edge of fabric. A measurement of how far the water has moved along a cut edge of fabric is measured every 1, 5, 10, and 30 minutes. Using this method also can get idea about fabric wettability.

Fabric

Water

Fabric Core pH

The action of pH and chemical agents on cellulose EFFECT OF ACIDS: Cotton is not attacked by or effected by cold and weak acids. However if it is treated by hot dilute or cold concentrated acids it disintegrates. EFFECT OF ALKALIES: Cotton has excellent resistance to alkalies.it swells in caustic soda but is not damaged. Cotton is mercerized. Mercerization is a process which is fabric is carried out by treating the cotton fabrics with caustic soda, which gives luster to fabric, it must be noted thet mercerization is done only to the cotton fabrics. Since the cotton is resistant to alkalies. It can be washed repeatedly in soap solution without any damage. From the chemical standpoint, the essence of this is process is in the absorption of alkali with the formation of alkali cellulose. Caustic soda combines with cellulose forming a molecular compound according to following equation:

Test :- AATCC 81
Using AATCC 81 can measure fabric core pH value. ( standards pH 6-7)

Residual Starch
The processes by which we remove sizes are known as desizing. Sizing is the need for the weaving but is an obstacle for the dyeindg. because of errors in desizing process some sizing starch not removing completely. Before dyeing we have to verify amount of residual starch.

Test: - Iodine Test

Reagent: potassium iodide (10 gm. Of KI (100%) in 100 ml water, add 0.6358 gm of iodine (100%) stir and shake; iodine is completely dissolved. Fill up to 800 ml with water then complete to 1000 ml with ethanol. (Shelf life approx 6 months only).

Method: 1. Spot drop wise solution onto fabric. 2. Rub in gently. 3. Assess change of colour. (Note: the test must be carried on fabric cooled down to room temperature)
No change of colour = no starch size present. Violet = presence of starch size

Residual Peroxide
Test :- Hydrogen Peroxide Test Strips

Method : To assess the presence of residual Hydrogen peroxide, the part of the sample is to be cut in wet stage and used for Stripe Test. Stripe has to be toughed to the wet fabric and check the color change in stripe.

If the color is not changes to bluer side, it indicates the presence of residual peroxide not available

Whiteness Index/Degree of whiteness

Instrumental Measurement of fabric White The color white is defined in colorimetric terms as a color with the highest luminosity, no hue and no saturation. Instruments measure the color of white as a property of reflecting light at all wavelengths, that is, the reflectance of the whole visible spectrum of 100%. This defines the ideal white; a condition rarely found in nature. Whiteness is the attribute of color perception by which an object is compared to approach the preferred white. The Whiteness Index is a number, computed by an instrument that indicates the level of whiteness. In the testpiece report, the higher the Whiteness Index value, the greater the whiteness of the measured testpiece. If the preferred white fabric has a high reflectance, then the ideal Whiteness Index for textile materials should approach 100. This is the characteristic used when establishing the criteria for evaluating the results of the Whiteness Index of NAILMs Testpiece Service.

Test 01:Test for measurer fabric Degree of whiteness This test method provides procedures for measuring the whiteness and tint of textiles. Whiteness as measured by this test method is an indication of how white the textiles appears to an average viewer. Tint, if other than zero, is an indication of a reddish or greenish hue having shifted away form a bluish hue. The formulas for calculation of whiteness and tint are those recommended by the CIE. Whiteness value - 70-80 (Tolerance + or -2)

Test 02:Abstract for AATCC 110

Purpose and Scope

This test method provides procedures for measuring the whiteness and tint of textiles.

Whiteness as measured by this test method is an indication of how white the textile appears to an average viewer. Tint, if other than zero, is an indication of a reddish or greenish hue having shifted away from a bluish hue with a dominant wavelength of 466 nm. The formulas for calculation of whiteness and tint are those recommended by the CIE (see 11.1).

Because reflectance is affected by the nature of the surface of the textile, comparisons can be made only between samples of the same type of textile.

Water Hardness & other water parameters

In the textile dyeing process, water quality plays an important role in determining the final shades of the products. One of the important factors in influencing the dye house water quality is its hardness, which is defined as the presence of soluble calcium and magnesium salts in the water and expressed in the form of CaCO3 equivalent. The presence of hardness in water can cause dye precipitation and the precipitates can further promote dye aggregations, which result in colour specks and loss of depth. Although the influence of hardness on dyeing has been widely investigated [1-3], this paper deals with the electrolytic effect, especially on the electro kinetic properties in the dyeing process.

In the following table you can see how the presence of Water Hardness affects the various wet processing stages right from desizing to finishing.
Process Desizing Problem Deactivate enzymes and makes it in-soluble some size materials like starch and PVA. Combine with soap, precipitate metal-organic acids. Produce yellowing of off-white shades, reduce cleaning efficiency and water absorption. Decompose bleach baths. Bleaching Mercerizing Form insoluble metal oxides, reduce absorbency and luster Combine with dyes changing their shades, in-soubise dyes, cause tippy dyeing, reduce dye diffusion and hence results in poor washing and rubbing fastness. Dusting and white patches appear if the hardness is very high. Form insoluble metal oxides, reduce absorbency and luster. Combine with dyes changing their shades, make them in-soluble, cause tippy dyeing, reduce dye diffusion and hence results in poorwashing and rubbing fastness.

Scouring

Dyeing Finishing

Standard of water parameters

NO
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 Water Parameter Colour Smell/ Odour pH Total Dissolved Solids Total Settleable Solids Total Suspended Solids Total Fixed Solids Total Organic Carbon Chloride Nitrate Nitrite Total Hardness Total Iron (Ferrous & Ferric) Manganese Copper Free Carbon Dioxide Standard Clear No Smell 06-Jul < 1 mg/l* < 50 mg/l < 1 mg/l < 50 mg/l < 20 mg/l < 10 mg/l < 50 mg/l < 5 mg/l < 50 mg/l < 0.1 mg/l < 0.02 mg/l < 0.005 mg/l ND

Test method for measure water hardness

Test :- Titration
One of the more sophisticated tests for hardness is the EDTA titration in which incremental small quantities of an EDTA solution are added to a test sample until a reaction is complete and a color change occurs.

The color change signifies that enough EDTA has been added to use up all the calcium and magnesium in the sample. A simple calculation based on how much solution was required can then be used to calculate an accurate value for hardness, reported as parts per million (ppm) calcium carbonate equivalent. A value of over 180 ppm signifies hard water.