The Dyeing of Cotton Fabrics: A Practical Handbook for the Dyer and Student

by Franklin Beech

To obtain good results it is needful that the dyer of union fabrics should have a thorough knowledge of the dyes he is using, for each dye makes a rule to itself as regards its power of dyeing wool and cotton—some go better

on to the cotton than on to the wool, and vice versa. Some dye wool best at the boil, others equally well below that heat; some go on the cotton at a moderate temperature, others require the dye-bath to be boiling; some will go on to the cotton only, and appear to ignore the wool.

The presence or absence in the dye-bath of such bodies as carbonate of soda, Glauber's salt, etc., has a material influence on the degree of the affinity of the dye-stuff for the two fibres, as will perhaps be noted hereafter. Again, while some of the dyes produce equal colours on both fibres, there are others where the tone is different. With all these peculiarities of the Diamine and other direct dyes the union dyer must make himself familiar. These dyes are used in neutral baths, that is, along with the dye-stuff. It is often convenient to use, along with the direct dyes, some azo or acid dyes, which have the property of dyeing the wool from neutral baths, many examples of such will be found in the practical recipes given below. The dyes now under consideration may be conveniently classed into five groups.

1. Those dyes which dye the cotton and wool from the same bath to the same shade, or nearly so. Among such are Thioflavine S, Diamine fast yellow B, Diamine orange B, Diamine rose B D, Diamine reds 4 B, 5 B, 6 B and 10 B, Diamine fast red F, Diamine Bordeaux B, Diamine brown N, Diamine browns 3 G, B and G, Diamine blues R W, B X, Diamine blue G, Diamine greens G and B, Diamine black H W, Diamine dark blue B, Union blacks B and S, Oxydiamine blacks B, M, D and A, Diamine catechine G, Union blue B B, Oxyphenine, Chloramine yellow, Alkali yellow R, Chromine G, Titan scarlet S, Mimosa, Curcumine, Primuline, Auroline, Congo Corinth B, Thiazole yellow, Columbia yellow, Oxydiamine yellow G G, Oxydiamine oranges G and R, Diamine orange F, Oxydiamine red S.

2. Dyes which dye the cotton a deeper shade than the

wool. The following belong to this group: Diamine fast yellow A, Diamine oranges G and D, Diamine catechine G, Diamine catechine B, Diamine sky blue, Diamine blue 2 B, Diamine blue 8 B, Diamine blue B G, Diamine brilliant blue G, Diamine new blue R, Diamine steel blue L, Diamine black R O, Diamine black B 0, Diamine black B H, and Oxydiamine black S O O O, Diamine nitrazol brown G, Diamine sky blue F F, Diamine dark blue B, Diamine Bordeaux B, Diamine violet N, Oxydiamine violet B, Columbia blacks B and F B, Zambesi black B, Congo brown G, Direct yellow G, Direct orange B, Clayton yellow, Cotton yellow, orange T A, Benzo purpurine B, Brilliant Congo R, Chicago blues B and 4 B and 6 B.

3. Dyes which dye wool a deeper shade than the cotton. The dyes in this group are not numerous. They are Diamine gold, Diamine scarlet B, Diamine scarlet 3 B, Diamine Bordeaux S, Diamine blue R W, and Diamine green G, Diamine reds N 0 and B, Chicago blues G and R, Brilliant purpurine R, Diamine scarlet B, Delta purpurine 5 B, Chrysamine, Titan blue, Titan pink, Congo oranges G and R, Erie blue 2 G, Congo R, Brilliant Congo R, Erika B N, Benzo purpurines 4 B and 10 B, Chrysophenine, Titan yellow, Titan browns Y, R and O, Congo brown G, Sulphon azurine B, Zambesi black B.

4. Dyes which produce different shades on the two fibres. Diamine brown G, and Diamine blue 3 R, Diamine brown V, Diamine brown S, Diamine nitrazol brown B, Diamine blues B X and 3 R, Diamine blue black E, Benzo blue black G, Benzo purpurine 10 B, Benzo azurines R, G and 3 G, Columbia red S, Brilliant azurine 5 G, Titan marine blue, Congo Corinths G and B, Azo blue, Hessian violet, Titan blue, Azo mauve, Congo brown, Diamine bronze G, Zambesi browns G and 2 G, Zambesi black F.

5. Azo-acid dyes, which dye wool from neutral baths, and are therefore suitable for shading up the wool to the cotton in union fabric dyeing. Among the dyes thus available may be enumerated: Naphthol blues G and R, Naphthol blue black, Formyl violet 10 B, Lanacyl blue B B, Lanacyl blue R, Alkaline blue, Formyl violets S 4 B and 6 B, Rocceleine, Azo red A, Croceine A Z, Brilliant scarlet, Orange extra, Orange E N Z, Indian yellow G, Indian yellow R, Tropæoline O O, Naphthylamine black 4 B and Naphthol blue black, Brilliant scarlet G, Lanacyl violet B, Brilliant milling green B, Thiocarmine R, Formyl blue B, Naphthylamine blacks D, 4 B and 6 B; Azo-acid yellow, Curcumine extra, Mandarine G, Ponceau 3 R B, Acid violet 6 B, Guinea violet 4 B, Guinea green B, Wool black 6 B.