Fiber Chemistry Effects on Dye Uptake

The dyeing efficiency of cotton knits was investigated as a function both of metal contents native to the cotton fiber as well as the presence of sugar-protein reaction products which contribute to +b. Results indicate that aged cotton fiber exhibits both a higher +b value and a tendency to incorporate higher amounts of reactive dye than un-aged fiber. In addition, removal of metals by EDTA results in a decreased tendency to incorporate reactive dye. The results will be discussed in terms of the reaction sites available for cross-linking with the reactive dye molecule.