Natural Dye from Nerium Oleander L. and Dyeing of Cotton Fabrics Using Different Mordants with Evaluation of Colour Fastness, Strength and Antifungal Properties

Abstract

Globally, there is growing demand in natural colourants from plants in the food, cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical fields. Generally, among the various categories of secondary metabolites, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and phenols are significant plant-based pigments. Coloured pigments possess remarkable anthocyanin related to anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-metastatic features. The major objective of this work was to elucidate the coloured pigments from Nerium oleander L. ornamental flowering shrub and its dying properties in cotton fabrics. Natural dye from flower methanolic extract of Nerium oleander was extracted. Dying experiment on bleached (H2O2) cotton fabric with density of 140 g / square meter was used. Pre, simultaneous and post -mordanting action of cotton fabric samples were carried out using 1-3 % of various metallic salts such as ferrous sulphate, potassium dichromate, stannous chloride, potassium aluminium sulfate. Color strength of the dyed samples for different dyeing condition was assessed by means of K/S value. Best color strength was yielded for the samples dyed with N. oleander which were mordanted with Potassium aluminium sulfate and FeSO4. Color fastness of the selected dyed samples to water, washing, perspiration and rubbing were also ideal. In all cases mordanted samples with Potassium aluminium sulfate and FeSO4 exhibited best results with simultaneous or post mordanting respectively. This results justifies designing a sustainable technology for mobilizing the usage of N. oleander for coloration of cotton fabrics. Fungicidal potential against A. flavus, A. niger, F. moniliforme and wash analysis also yielded significant results. The exquisite assessment of all tested properties of colored samples evolves this technology can be commercially implemented by considering large scale trails.