TECHNIQUES OF DYEING COIR MATERIALS

by K.G.Mohanan, P.C.Antonel Vaz, J.Sunilduth, A.Radhakrishnan, V.A.Sebastian and U.S.Sarma, Proceedings

of the International workshop on Wet processing of Coir 8-9, December 1997

 

 

ABSTRACT

Dyeing of coir fibre/yarn is essential for improving the marketability of coir products and satisfying the requirements of consumers. A literature and industrial survey had been conducted to ascertain the dyestuffs/chemicals and processes used for colouring coir materials and comparative cost involved for dyeing of coir. The fastness characteristics of different classes of dyestuffs used for dyeing of coir materials were analysed and chemicals marketed by different firms were examined for their suitability in the dyeing of coir.  The synthetic, natural and ecofriendly dyestuffs were identified and dyeing experiments were carried out for assessing their suitability to coir.

 

INTRODUCTION

A dyestuff is most commonly an organic compound which can be used to impart colour to a substance.  The literature survey reveals that a wide range of dyes capable of yielding bright shades of good to excellent fastness are available for the dyeing of textiles.  However, quite a large number of such dyes are not useful for dyeing coir, for some of them require special pretreatments of the material before the dye is applied or they are costly from the point of view of the coir industry.

Dyes are applied to coir materials by two distinct processes, dyeing and printing of which the former is extensively used.  In dyeing, the fibre absorbs the dye from the aqueous solution or dispersion and is more or less uniformly coloured.  The uniformity of dyeing (level dyeing) depends upon the absorptive power of coir fibre, the nature of the dye and condition of dyeing.  The dyed shade usually must be matched against a sample and the fastness of the dyeing (ie. the resistance of the shade to the action of light, water rubbing etc.) must conform to the specified requirement of the consumer.

In the attempts to identify dyes/chemicals suitable for achieving better fastness properties, penetration and brilliant shade with less cost revealed that the most commonly used dyestuffs for coir materials belong to the classes of Basic, Acid and Direct dyes.  These dyes are applied to the materials from their solution in water with the aid of chemicals like acetic acid, sulphuric acid formic acid, common salt etc.  to facilitate the transfer of dyes from the dye bath to the fibre substrate under appropriate conditions of temperature for specified periods depending on the dyestuff that is being used.

The basic dyes have high tinctorial value and affinity to coir but are fugitive to light and rubbing.  The acid dyes have better fastness to light but of less brightness that basic dyes.  Direct dyes find use in producing shades having fastness properties better than acid dyes but they produce dull shades and require longer processing time.  The use of imported dyes is limited in coir Industry.

 

INDUSTRIAL SURVEY

The survey confirmed that the major quantity of dyeing of coir fibre/yarn is done in the small scale sector using conventional process.  With a view to improve the quality of dyed material, modern dyeing methods are also adopted by the industry.  The industry adopts the following methods for dyeing.

1.      Conventional method of dyeing coir

2.      Improved method of dyeing coir

3.      Mechanised method of dyeing coir

  CONVENTIONAL METHOD OF DYEING COIR

In the conventional method, the dyeing is carried out in copper or alminium/Indalium or G.I dye vat of 1.2 M dia and 0.75 height placed on hearth made out of country bricks, fired from below using country wood.  The dye vat is sufficient to process 60 kg.of coir yarn or 30 kg.of coir fibre with a material to liquor ratio of 1:12 for coir yarn and 1:20 for coir fibre. After filling with required quantity of water, it is heated from below till the required temperature is reached.  The required quantity of dyestuffs (according to the percentage of shade) and chemicals are added to the dye bath after making into a paste. The dye bath is stirred well and the material is entered and turned manually at frequent intervals for level dyeing.  At the end of dyeing the material is taken out washed in cold water and dried under shade.

IMPROVED METHOD OF DYEING COIR

The improved method of dyeing process is carried out by highly skilled ‘Moopans’in the industry using dye vats made or stainless steel and fitted with drinage valve for proper draining or dye effluents.  The vats are fixed on hearths made of fire bricks with flue pipes for efficient air draught for maximum utilisation of the heat energy. The dyes are taken as per recipes formulated by CCRI which is available on the shade cards.  The quality of dyeing is improved compared to the small scale sector.

MECHANISED SYSTEM OF DYEING

To get the best desired result, coir yarn is dyed in the mechanised system of dyeing, comprising of dye vats with forced circulation of the dye liquor in two directions on uniformly arranged coir yarn for uniform level dyeing. The temperature is controlled as per the requirement by regulating the flow of heating system.  After the dyeing operation, hydro-extractors are used to drive out the major part of the machanically held up water and finally these materials are dried on the endless conveyor drier, for efficient drying.  This system of dyeing helps to improve the penetration, shade consistency, uniform dyeing on coir fibre/yarn by the action of temperature, efficient & forced circulation of dye liquor and period of dyeing.  This method help to dye large quantities of material at a time avoiding shade variations compared to the other two processes.

The comparative cost for dyeing using standard receipes for five common solid colours in conventional improved and mechanised system of dyeings are furnished below as Table –I

 

Table - I : Cost aspects of dyeing in different method

Sl

No

Shade

%shade

-do-

-do-

-do-

-do-

60

2

1

3

Coomasse red-PG

C.Iacid red 85

1.00

-do-

-do-

-do-

-do-

60

3

3

 

 

TABLE –IV CHARACTERISTICS OF DYED COIR MATERIALS USING DIRECT DYES

1

Direct fast scarlet SE

C.I Direct

Red- 23

1.00

Sulphuric

Acid/

Formic

Acid

90-95oc

1-1.5

hrs.

moderate

moderate

70

3

3

2

Direct fast yellow 3

C.I

1.00

-do-

-do-

-do-

-do-

60

2

3

3

Direct catachine 77

New

C.i.Direct brown 33

1.00

-do-

-do-

-do-

-do-

60

2

3

 

 

TABLE –V CHARACTERISTICS OF DYED COIR MATERIALS USING REACTIVE  DYES

 

1

Procion brill red

M.5B

2.00

C.Salt

Soda ash

Urea

Cold

2 hours

Poor

Averate

40

4

5

2

Procion yellow M3R

2.00

-do-

-do-

-do-

-do-

40

4

5

3

Procion turquoise

MGN

2.00

-do-

-do-

-do-

-do-

40

3-4

5

 

The fastness properties of dyed coir materials witch as water fastness, light fastness and rubbing fastness, are to be determined in respect of each dyestuff belonging to the different classes.  A number of dyestuffs belonging to basic, acid and direct classes were used to for colouring coir materials such as retted coir fibre, green husks fibre, green husk treated with coirret, yarn from retted and brown coir fibre.  The details of the shades developed with receipe are furnished as Annexure-1I

The yarn produced from brown fibre was dyed in different shades using dyestuffs such as Auramine, Rhodamine B 500, Magenta, Malachite green, Bismark brown, Chrysodine, Methyle violet at different concentrations of 0.2%, 0.25% and 0.3%.  It  was observed that the shades with 0.25% of the basic dyes showed a satisfactory coverage on the fibre.

In order to compare the brightness of shade, pick up light and water fastness, green husk fibre treated with coirret and retted coir fibre were dyed using Acid orange II, Rhodamine B 500, Direct green B and Malachite green for developing different shades.

4 shades evolved from acid and 2 shades from direct classes of dyestuffs which is safe to the environment was taken on coir yarn spun from retted fibre using receipe. Detailed in Table VI

 

 

TABLE –V I : ECOFRIENDLY SHADES EVOLVED FOR COIR MATERIALS

No

Class

Name of shade

Name of the Dyestuff

% of shade

1

Acid class

TOKYO

Acid orange II

Sulphuric acid

Azo fast LRW

0.50

1.00

1.00

2

Acid class

FLAX FLOWER

Acid brill blue

Acid violet

Sulphuric acid

Azofast LRW

0.113

0.066

1.00

1.00

3

Acid class

LOVE BIRD

Acid milling yelow G

Patent blue AS

Azo fast IRW

0.70

0.02

1.00

4

Acid class

CHROME LEMON

Acid milling yellow G

Patent blue AS

Sulphuric acid

Azofast LRW

0.75

0.0016

1.00

1.00

5

Direct Class

CLOUB BROWN

Direct brown MR

Direct black E

Direct fast violet BI

Azofast IRW

Common salt

0.20

0.20

0.05

1.00

10.00

 

 

CONCLUSION

1. The mechanised system of dyeing is most effective as it helps to achieve

    shade consistency, between penetration of dyes and byulk treatment of odye effluent

2. The list of banned carcinogenic dyes and chemicals were identified and circulated  among the trade.

3. It is desirable to assess fastness properties of each dyestuff belonging to different classes and their suitability to coir

     4. For improved appearance and dye up-take, it would be preferable to wet out the material in cold water.

      5. Strict adherance to the methods of dyeing including the optimum use of chemicals, temp and duration of treatment is necessary

         to   obtain dyeing  of satisfactory standards.

     6. Only those ‘safe’ dyes that have high rating of light fastness should be taken for use.

7. Light bleaching of the material prior to dyeing yield pastel shades of good brightness.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors place it on record their sincere thanks to FAO/CFC for providing fund to conduct the studies and also grateful to the Coir Board for providing facilities for carrying out the investigations and for their kind permission to publish this paper,

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ANNEXURE-1

  DYESTUFFS TO BE USED FOR COLOURING COIR MATERIALS

  1. Rhodamine B 500
  2. Malachite Green XLS
  3. Bismark Brown
  4. Magenta powder
  5. Chrysodine
  6. Basic black SDI
  7. Methyle Blue extra
  8. Acid Brill Blue BR
  9. Acid Turquoise Blue G
  10. Acid Red G
  11. Acod Pramge 11
  12. Acid Red B
  13. Acid Coir Scartet AR
  14. Acid yellow 5N
  15. Acid Red RS
  16. Acid Green B
  17. Acid Brill Red 3 BN
  18. Acid Scarlet 3R
  19. Acid Maroon V
  20. Acid black G
  21. Acid Brown R
  22. Acid Violot N
  23. Acid Rhodamine BL
  24. Acid Coffee brown
  25. Direct Gray
  26. Direct Yellow 5 GLC
  27. Direct  gray BL
  28. Direct Green G
  29. Direct kaki 2B
  30. Direct fast olive RN.Conc
  31. Direct green B
  32. Direct Catachine 77 New
  33. Chrysophenine CH