Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research Vol 39, March 2014, pp. 97-101 Evaluation of colour fastness properties of process, reproducibility results, limited shades, blending problems and inadequate fastness natural dye extracted from Symplocos 2 racemosa (Lodh) on wool fibres using properties . India has a rich biodiversity and it is not only one of the world’s twelve mega diversity combination of natural and countries, but also one of the eight major centers of synthetic mordants origin and diversification of domesticated taxa. Shyam Vir Singh1,a & M C Purohit2 Mordants are metal salts which produce an affinity between the fabric and the dye3 and alum, chrome, 1Department of Chemistry, Shri Guru Ram Rai (PG) College, Pathribagh, Dehradun 248 001, India stannous chloride, copper sulphate and ferrous sulphate 2Department of Chemistry, HNB Garhwal University, are the commonly used mordants. Natural dyes have Campus Pauri, Pauri Garhwal 246 001, India the ability to produce wide range of tints and shades, with the same dye material4. Symplocos racemosa Received 25 August 2012; revised received and accepted species is very active to give natural dyes properties 8 April 2013 and this species give us good fastness grades with The colour fastness properties of colourant on wool fibres respect to grey scale. Literature review shows that dyed with natural dye extracted from the leaves of Symplocos isolation of natural dyes from this species has not racemosa have been studied using combination of mordants such been done till now5, 6. The present study has been as lemon juice + copper sulphate, lemon juice + potassium undertaken to revive the age‐old dyeing with natural dichromate, lemon juice + ferrous sulphate and lemon juice + 7 stannous chloride in the ratio of 3:1, 1:2 and 1:3 separately. dyes . In this work, the leaves extract of Symplocos Dyeing along with mordanting techniques which included pre- racemosa is used to dye wool at optimized dyeing mordanting, simultaneous mordanting and post mordanting has conditions, using combination of mordants and dyed been carried out. Study on fastness tests of dyed clothes is also samples are evaluated for the colour fastness of the undertaken. Large range of shades is obtained because of varying dyed samples to wash, rub, perspiration and light8,9. mordant ratios and combinations. The wash, rub, light and perspiration fastness of the dyed samples have also been Color fastness is the resistance of a material to change evaluated, giving fair to excellent fastness grades. any of its colour characteristics or extent of transfer of its colorants to adjacent white materials in touch. Keywords: Colour fastness, Mordants, Natural dye, Symplocos racemosa, Wool fabrics Experimental Natural dyes produce an extraordinary diversity of Symplocos racemosa is an evergreen tree or shrub rich in colours that complement each other1. Natural found in the Himalaya region of India. The leaves dyes from plants may also have dozens of compounds (dark green, orbicular, elliptic oblong, coriaceous and and their properties vary with soil type and the glabrous) were used for extraction of dye. Bleached weather. In 1856, William Perkins accidently plain weave wool fabric purchased from market of synthesized a basic dye, with the advent of synthetic Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, was used for the study. dyes, the use of natural dyes declined tremendously Analytical reagents (AR) grade ferrous sulphate, because the existing natural dyes failed to full fill the copper sulphate, potassium dichromate, stannous demand of the market. In India, Rajasthan and Kutch chloride, commercial grade acetic acid, common salt still possess a rich tradition in the use of natural dyes and sodium carbonate were used as such. A natural for textile dyeing. At many places in India, traditional mordant ‘lemon juice’ was used for the study. wool and woolen products are dyed by natural dyes. Depending upon the mordant used, the colour The problems with the use of natural dyes in textile obtained on textiles from the leaves of Symplocos dyeing are color yield, complexibility of dyeing racemosa extract may give different shades. The lemon juice mixed with a known volume of water and —————— heated at 80 0C for 30 min was also used for a Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] mordanting. The resulting solution was cooled and [email protected] filtered. The filtrate was used for mordanting. 98 INDIAN J FIBRE TEXT RES , MARCH 2014 A known quantity of leaves were dried, powdered and light was determined as per IS: 2454‐ 1984 method. soaked in warm water overnight. The extract was The sample was exposed to UV light in a Shirley obtained by boiling it in the same water and allowed MBTF Microsal fade‐O‐meter (having 500 watt to cool, finally filtered and used for dyeing. The Philips mercury bulb tungsten filament lamp dyeing was carried out at optimized dyeing conditions simulating day light) along with the eight blue wool such as dye extraction3-9 time 60 min, material-to- standards (BS1006: BOI: 1978). The fading of each liquor ratio 1:20 and dyeing time 50 min. The sample was observed against the fading of blue wool mordant combinations viz. lemon juice: copper standards (1‐8). Colour fastness to perspiration13 sulphate, lemon juice: potassium dichromate, lemon assessed according to IS 971‐1983 composite juice: ferrous sulphate, lemon juice: stannous chloride specimen was done by placing the test specimen were used in the ratio of 3:1, 1:2 and 1:3. The total between two adjacent pieces of wool fabric and amount of two mordants used in each combination stitched all in four sides. The sample was soaked in was 5% on the weight of the fabric i.e. 5 g of the the test solution (acidic/alkaline) separately with mordant / 100 g of the fabric. Each of the four MLR 1:50 for 30 min at room temperature. The mordant combinations in three different ratios sample was then placed between two glass plates of mentioned above were used for all the three perspirometer under load of 4.5 kgs (10 lbs). The mordanting methods, namely pre mordanting, apparatus was kept in the oven for 4h at 36±2˚C. At simultaneous mordanting and post‐mordanting for the end of this period the specimen was removed and dyeing10,11. After dyeing, the solution was allowed to dried in air at a temperature not exceeding 60˚C. The cool, removed from dye bath, rinsed under running test samples were graded for change in colour and water to remove excess dye particles and shade dried. staining using grey scales. Colour fastness to washing of the dyed fabric samples was determined as per IS: 764 – 1984 methods using Results and Discussion a Sasmira launder‐O‐meter following IS‐3 wash fastness method. The wash fastness rating was Lemon juice: stannous chloride assessed using grey scale as per ISO‐05‐A02 (loss of The colour fastness to light, washing, rubbing and shade depth) and ISO‐105‐AO3 (extent of staining) perspiration on dyed wool samples treated with and the same was cross‐checked by measuring the lemon juice: stannous chloride combination in loss of depth of colour and staining using Macbeth aqueous medium is presented in Table 1. All the 2020 plus computer‐aided colour measurement treated samples subjected to light show good (4) system attached with relevant software. Colour light fastness for all ratios of mordant combinations. fastness to rubbing12 (dry and wet) was assessed as The treated samples for pre mordanting show fair per IS: 766‐1984 method using a manually operated (2-3) wash fastness grades, but they ranged between crock meter and grey scale as per ISO‐105‐AO3 excellent and good (4-5 to 4) for all the treated (extent of staining). Colour fastness to exposure to samples for simultaneous and post mordanting. Table 1—Fastness grades of wool fibres dyed with Symplocos racemosa dye at optimum dyeing conditions using LJ: SC mordant combination Mordanting Mordant Light Washfastness Rub fastness Perspiration fastness method proportions fastness CC CS Dry Wet Acidic Alkaline CC CS CC CS CC CS CC 3:1 4 2-3 5 4-5 5 4 5 3 5 3 Pre mordanting 1:2 4 2-3 5 5 4-5 5 5 4-5 5 4 1:3 4 2-3 5 5 4-5 5 5 4-5 5 4 3:1 4 4-5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 Simultaneous 1:2 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 mordanting 1:3 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 3:1 4 4 5 5 4-5 5 5 4 5 4-5 Post mordanting 1:2 4 4-5 5 5 4-5 5 5 4-5 5 4-5 1:3 4 4-5 5 5 4-5 5 5 4-5 5 4-5 LJ: SC – Lemon juice: stannous chloride, CC – Colour change, CS – Colour staining. SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 99 There is no colour staining. The colour change to Lemon juice: potassium dichromate dry and wet rubbing for all the treated samples is The evaluation of colour fastness to light, washing, found to be excellent (5). There is no colour staining rubbing and perspiration of dyed wool samples treated ranged between no staining and negligible staining with lemon juice: potassium dichromate combination (5 to 4-5) in dry rubbing. The perspiration fastness in aqueous medium is presented in Table 3. Almost grades range between 4-5 and 4, except for all the treated samples subjected to light show fairly 3:1 mordant proportion in pre-mordanting method, good (4) light fastness for all ratio mordant where it is fair (3), for all samples in both acidic combinations.