US 6,039,767 A · Blended dyes and process for dyeing polypropylene fibers

Abstract

An improved method of dyeing a polyolefin material, and preferably a polypropylene based fiber, involves a disperse dye mix including a selected plurality of disperse dyes from the same primary color group. Each dye within the mix and the concentration of each dye within the mix is selected by testing individual disperse dye solutions with an undyed sample and determining the maximum dye concentration which will produce an acceptable crocking test for that dye. A plurality of disperse dyes within the mix are each at a concentration of at least 75% of the maximum dye concentration for that individual dye. The selected dye mix is used to prepare a disperse dye mix solution which is then contacted with the polyolefin material to reliably dye the material without fastness problems. A red dye mix, a blue dye mix, and the yellow dye mix may each be prepared and may each be separately used to dye polypropylene fibers with relatively dark shade without crocking problems. Different proportions of each of the three dye mixes may be used to dye polypropylene fibers at various selected shades and color depths.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A method of dyeing a polypropylene based material modified with an ethylene copolymer, comprising:

preparing various disperse dye dispersions each comprising an individual disperse dye at a known dye concentration;
contacting undyed polypropylene material samples with each of the various disperse dye dispersions to produce a plurality of dyed polypropylene material samples;
testing the dyed polypropylene samples to determine crocking the characteristics for each of the various disperse dyes;
for each of various disperse dyes, determining a maximum dye concentration which will produce an acceptable crocking test;
for each of various disperse dyes within a common primary color group, selecting a plurality of disperse dyes each substantially at its determined maximum dye concentration;
combining the selected plurality of disperse dyes to form a primary color dye mix;
preparing a disperse dye mix dispersion from the primary color dye mix;
and
contacting undyed polypropylene material with the disperse dye mix dispersion to dye the polypropylene material.

6 more elements

A method of dyeing a polypropylene based fiber modified with an ethylene copolymer, comprising:

preparing various disperse dye dispersions each comprising an individual disperse dye at a known dye concentration;
contacting undyed polypropylene fiber samples with each of the various disperse dye dispersions to produce a plurality of dyed polypropylene fiber samples;
testing the dyed polypropylene fiber samples to determine crocking characteristics for each of various disperse dyes;
for each of various disperse dyes, determining the maximum dye concentration which will produce an acceptable crocking test;
for each of various disperse dyes within a common primary color group, selecting a plurality of disperse dyes each at least 75% of its determined maximum dye concentration;
combining the selected plurality of disperse dyes to form a primary color primary color dye mix;
preparing a disperse dye mix dispersion from the primary color dye mix;
and
contacting undyed polypropylene fiber material with the disperse dye mix dispersion at atmospheric pressure to dye the polypropylene fiber.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Blended dyes and process for dyeing polypropylene fibers

Life of this patent

Blended dyes and process for dyeing polypropylene fibers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35