Synergetic construction of super-color and low-hydrolysis of reactive dyeing for cotton fiber via a linear silicone medium dyeing system

Abstract

Traditional water-based dyeing not only depend on nonrenewable chemicals but also result in secondary environmental pollutions after dyeing, due to the inorganic salts and toxic dye-containing chemicals. In this investigation, we established a salt-free, less-water, and small solid waste dyeing system, evaluating the dyeing performance of three reactive dyes in this linear silicone (LS) dyeing system compared to a traditional water bath. Further investigation was conducted to understand the reasons behind the high fixation rates and deeper color dyeing properties of reactive dyes. These results indicate that reactive dyes can achieve a dye uptake rate exceeding 99 %. Additionally, under the same dye dosage, the dyeing color depth of reactive dyes can be increased by 70 % compared to water dyeing bath. The primary reasons contributing to this phenomenon are the low hydrolysis rate of reactive dyes in the LS dyeing system, the high energy barrier associated with the hydrolysis reaction, and the relatively low energy barrier for the bonding reaction between the dye and the cotton fiber. From the dyeing mechanism of LS dyeing technology, it facilitates the green and low-carbon development of textile dyeing industry, and minimizes pollution while simultaneously addressing the needs of human development.