Influence of Dye-polyether Derivatives Architecture on Parent C. I. Disperse Yellow 64 Dispersion

Interface stability has been the subject of extensive investigation by the scientists working in the field of micron or nanometer materials for centuries and the control of the colloidal properties and stability of particle dispersions is of significant importance in the manufacture of high quality water-based dispersions or solvent-based systems. The waterborne dispersion of C.I. Disperse Yellow 64 requires the use of dispersant additives. By the reaction of C.I. Disperse Yellow 64 with poly(oxyalkylene)-amines, a series of dye-polyether derivatives, supposed to be used as dispersants for parent dye dispersions, was synthesized and subsequently characterized by amine titration, SEC and H-1 NMR. The polyethers chosen are polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene diblock coploymers with different molecular weights and degrees of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity in the backbones. The influence upon adsorption of dye-polyether derivatives on the dispersion behavior of parent C. I. Disperse Yellow 64 has been investigated. A range of experimental methods including adsorption isotherms, dispersion stability test, and particle size measurements were used to assess the dispersion effect of the dye-polyether derivatives. Adsorption of dye-polyether derivatives onto the parent dye surface is little affected by the molecular weight and increases with the increasing hydrophobicity of the polyether. The dispersion stability of the parent C.I. Disperse Yellow 64 dispersions has considerably been improved by the presence of all the dye-polyether derivatives. In particular, the dye-polyether derivatives exhibited excellent dispersive capacity for the dispersions even at a dye to dispersant weight ratio of 10:1, which largely reduced the dispersant demand compared with the commercial dye. This new strategy of the dye-polyether derivative as dispersant for its parent dye will result in significantly alleviating the environment pollution from dyeing effluent and is not only expected to be applicable to dispersion of other water-insoluble dyes in aqueous media, but also a new promising candidate for the stablization of micron or nanometer materials.