Chemistry Investigatory

Project On Dyeing Of
Fabrics

Name: Anna Wilson

Class: XII- A

School: International
Indian School
Al- Jubail
Academic Year: 2014- 2015

Acknowledgement
I would like to express a deep sense of
thanks and gratitude to my chemistry
teachers Mrs. Mandakrantha Basu and Mrs.
Ayesha Tasneem for guiding me immensely
through the course of my project. Their
constructive advice and constant motivation
have been responsible for the successful
completion of my project.

My sincere thanks to my parents for their

motivation and support. I must thank my
classmates for their timely help and support
for compilation of this project.Contents

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Introduction
Objective
Requirements
Procedure
Conclusion
Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Dyes are colored substances which can adhere to

the surface of materials and are used to give color
to paper, food-stuffs, and various textiles such as
cotton, wool, synthetic fibres, silk etc. For
example, alizarin, indigo, congo red, etc.
Chemically, a dye contains:
i.

ii.

Some group (such as azo, indigoid,

triphenylmethyl, anthraquinone, etc.) which
is responsible for the color of the dye.
Some groups (such as NH2, -SO3H, -COOH,
etc) which makes the dye stick to the fabric
by formation of some salt.

Dyeing is the process of adding color to textile

products like fibres, yarn and fabrics. The
temperature and time controlling are two key
factors in dyeing.
The primary source of dye, historically has been
nature, with the dyes being extracted from plants
and animals. Since the 18th century, humans
produced artificial dyes to achieve a broader
range of colors and to render the dyes more
stable to resist washing and general use.
The dyed fabrics appear to be colored because a
particular dye absorbs radiations of some specific

wavelengths from the visible region of

electromagnetic radiations which fall on the
surface. The remaining radiations
(complementary colors) of light are reflected. The
color which we observe is due to the reflected
light. For example, if a dye absorbs the light in
the wavelength region corresponding to red, then
it would appear green, which is the
complementary color of red. Similarly, if a dye
absorbs blue color, it would appear orange.

Methods to apply dye

Dyes are applied to textile goods by dyeing from
dye solutions and by printing from dye pastes.
Methods include:
1. Direct application

2. Yarn dyeing

Characteristics of a dye
1.
2.
3.

It must have a suitable color.

It must be capable of being fixed to the
material.
When fixed it must be fast to detergents,
soaps, water, dry-cleaning solvents, light
and dilute acids.

Types of dye
The dyes are classified by dye manufacturers for
marketing into the following types:
1. Acid dyes: These are azo dyes and are
characterized by the presence of acidic
groups. The presence of soluble and serves
as the reactive points for fixing the dye to the
fibre. They are chiefly used for dyeing wool,
silk and nylon. For example, Orange I and
Orange II.
2. Basic dyes: These dyes contain NH2 or NR2.
In acidic solutions, these form water soluble
cations and use the anionic sites on the fabric

3.

4.

5.

6.

to get used for dyeing wool, silk and nylon.

For example, aniline yellow, butter yellow.
Direct dyes: These are also azo dyes and
are used to dye fabrics directly by placing in
aqueous solution of the dye. These dyes
attach to the fabrics by means of hydrogen
bonding.
Disperse dyes: These dyes are applied in
the form of dispersion of minute particles of
the dye in a soap solution in the presence of
phenol or benzoic acid. These dyes are used
to dye rayons, Dacron, nylon, polyesters etc.
For example, celliton fast pink B and celliton
fast blue B.
Fibre ractive dyes: These dyes are linked to
the fibre by OH or NH2 group present on the
fibre. These dyes induce fast color on fabrics
which is retained for a longer time. These
dyes are used for dyeing cotton, wool and
silk.
Insoluble dyes: These dyes are directly
synthesized on the fibre. The fabric to be
colored is soaked in an alkaline solution of
phenol and then treated with a solution of
diazotized amine to produce azo dye. The

color induced by such dyes is not so fast.

These dyes are used for dyeing of cotton, silk,
polyester nylon, etc. For example, nitroaniline
red.
7. Vat dyes: These dyes are water-insoluble
and before dyeing these are reduced to
colorless compounds in wooden vats by
alkaline reducing agents. The fibre is then
soaked in the solution of the dye. Fibre is then
exposed to air or an oxidizing agent. By doing
so the colorless compound gets reoxidized to
colored dye on the fabric. For example,
indigo.
8. Mordant dyes: These dyes are applied after
treating the fabric with precipitates of certain
substances (mordant material) which then
combines with the dye to form a colored
complex called lake. Some of the mordants
are salts of aluminium, iron and tannic acids.
Depending on the mordant used, the same
mordant dye can give different colors and
shades. For example, alizarin gives red color
with aluminium and black violet with iron
mordant. Mordant dyes are used for dyeing of
wool, silk and cotton.

OBJECTIVE
To dye wool and cotton with malachite green.

REQUIREMENTS
500 ml beakers, tripod stand, wire gauze, glass
rod, spatula, wool cloth and cotton cloth.
Chemicals required: Sodium carbonate, tannic
acid, tartaremetic acid, and malachite green dye.

PROCEDURE
1. Preparation of sodium carbonate
solution: Take about 0.5 g of solid sodium
carbonate and dissolve it in 250 ml of water.
2. Preparation of tartaremetic solution: Take
about 0.2 g of tartaremetic and dissolve it in
100 ml of water by stirring with the help of
glass rod.
3. Preparation of tannic acid solution: Take
100 ml of water in a beaker and add about 1.0
g of tannic acid to it. Heat the solution. On
heating a clear solution of tannic acid is
obtained.
4. Preparation of dye solution: Take about 0.1
g of malachite green dye and add to it 4oo ml
of water. On warming a clear solution of the
dye results.
5. Dyeing of wool: Take about 200 ml of dye
solution and dip it in the woolen cloth to be
dyed. Boil the solution for about 2 minutes.
After that remove the cloth and wash it with
hot water 3-4 times, squeeze and keep it for
drying.

6. Dyeing of cotton: Cotton does not absorb

malachite green readily, therefore it requires
the use of a mordant. For dyeing a cotton
cloth dip it in sodium carbonate solution for
about 10 minutes and then rinse with water.
Then put the cloth in hot tannic acid solution
for about 5 minutes. Now take out the cloth
from tannic acid solution and keep it in
tartaremetic solution for about 5 minutes.
Remove the cloth and squeeze it with spatula
to remove most of the solution. Now place the
cloth in boiling solution of the dye for about 2
minutes. Remove and wash the dyed cloth
thoroughly with water, squeeze and keep it for
drying.
7. Dyeing of cotton directly: Take another
piece of cotton cloth and pit it directly into
boiling solution of the dye. Keep it dipped for
about 2 minutes. Remove the cloth, wash with
water, squeeze and keep it for drying.
Compare the color of this cloth with that dyed
by using mordant.

OBSERVATIONS

1. The color of wool cloth dyed directly by

dipping in hot solution of malachite green
dye is fast.
2. The color of cotton dyed cloth directly
(without using mordant) by dipping in hot
solution of malachite green is not so fast to
washing and is of low intensity.
3. The color of cotton cloth dyed indirectly by
using mordant and then by dipping in hot
solution of malachite green is fast to
washing and is of high intensity.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Comprehensive practical chemistry (class
12)
2. www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyeing
3. www.scribd.com