The Effect of Sodium Sulfate in Liquid or Solid Form on Reactive Dyeing and Fastness Properties of Cellulose Knitted Fabric

Sodium sulfate is commonly added in reactive dyebath in order to increase substantivity of the reactive dye to cellulose fiber by reducing repulsion between anionic dye and fiber. While sodium sulfate is mostly used in solid form, it is inconvenient to dissolve a large amount of powder sodium sulfate. Furthermore, if there is undissolved salt in dyebath it might cause unlevel dyeing. In this study, sodium sulfate in liquid or solid form was used in dyeing of cellulose fabric with reactive dyes of three primary color and the effect of type or amount of sodium sulfate on dyeing and fastness properties was investigated. When the amount of sodium sulfate rose to 30-50 g/l, K/S value of the dyed fabric markedly increased; further rise in sodium sulfate concentration resulted in slow increase in K/S value. For light color, optimum amount was about 30 g/l in solid form and 50-100 g/l in liquid form while, for medium to deep color, it was 50 g/l and 100-150 g/l in solid and liquid form, respectively. When using each optimum amount of salt in solid or liquid form for medium color, shape of dyeing curve as well as exhaustion was similar to each other. On the whole, similar color fastness results were obtained regardless of type or amount of sodium sulfate.