The influence of the treatment process on the dyeability of cotton fabric using goldenrod dye

Abstract

The influence of the treatment process on the dyeability of cotton fabric with a natural dye from goldenrod blooms was studied in this research. The dyeing was performed on untreated and treated cotton samples. The treating of the samples, using mordant (KAl(SO4)2 × 12 H2O), was performed before and during the dyeing process, whilst treatment with a cationic agent (Denimcol FIX-OS) was performed only before dyeing. The dyeing was carried out at 60 °C in two repetitions in three different concentrations of goldenrod aqueous extract, namely without dilution, and by diluting the extract with distilled water at volume ratios of 1:2 and 1:3. Spectrophotometric measurements were done before and after 1, 5, and 10 washing cycles. Colour fastness to rubbing was visually evaluated using a grey scale. Colour fastness to artificial light was visually evaluated using a blue scale, as well as spectrophotometrically before and after illumination of the dyed samples. The results of the research show that the cationic treatment of cotton fabric essentially influences on higher dye uptake in comparison to treatment using mordant before or during dyeing. Cotton samples that are treated with a cationic agent have the highest colour fastness to washing, rubbing, and light among all of the studied samples.

Keywords

• Solidago virgaurea
• mordanting
• cationic treatment
• invasive species