Sustainable Dyeing Process for Nylon 6 Fabrics by Rhubarb Flower Using Different Bio-Mordants

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to propose a fully sustainable dyeing process for nylon 6. In order to achieve this goal, Rhubarb flower parts were used to produce a brown hue on nylon 6 fabric. The effects of dyeing parameters such as dyeing time, temperature, dyebath pH, M:L, salt addition, dispersing agent, and dye concentration on color strength were investigated. Using 100%owf dye in an acidic medium at boil and the material to liquor ratio of 1:30 for 75 min was determined to be the optimal condition for dyeing nylon 6 with rhubarb flower. In order to achieve acceptable color fastness, four natural mordants were applied, including walnut husks, pistachio hulls, pine cones, and green coffee. Colorimetric measurements revealed that mordanting did not affect the hue of the color compared to the non-mordant sample. In addition, diverse natural mordants produced the same color (i.e., brown) with varying color strengths, of which 10%owf walnut husk generated the strongest color. Bio-mordanted samples were also found to have excellent color fastness, thereby providing an effective substitute for metal mordants.