One‐pass process for the continuous dyeing of polyester/unmercerised cotton blends with disperse/reactive dyes. Part 2: Process modifications to improve the colour yield of selected reactive dyes on the cotton component of the blend†

Abstract

One of the limitations of DyStar’s TTN one‐pass continuous dyeing process for dyeing polyester/unmercerised cotton blends with disperse and reactive dyes is its inability to achieve heavy depths economically and part 1 of this study indicated that the limitation could be attributed to the reactive dye [1]. In this study, the constituents of the pad liquor were varied to determine if the visual colour yield of selected reactive dyes could be improved. In so doing, it was possible to speculate whether the low colour yield from some of the reactive dyes used in the TTN process was as a result of inefficient ‘delivery’ of the dye to the reactive sites on the cotton.