Dyes for Cellulosic Fibers
Cellulosic
fibers can be dyed readily using a number of dye classes. The less crystalline
regenerated cellulosic (rayon) dye more readily than the more crystalline
natural cellulosic fibers such as cotton. Cellulosic can be dyed or printed
using direct, reactive, basic, vat,
sulfur, or azoic dyes.
Cellulosic
can also be colored using pigment-binder systems. Mordanting of direct and
basic dyes on cellulosic improves overall fastness. Since the hydroxyl groups
in cellulosic are less reactive than many functional groups found in protein
fibers, reactive dyes such as the dichlorotriazine
(Procion M) or dichloroquinoxaline (Levefix) dyes are often used on
cellulosic fibers due to their higher reactivity.