Improved dyeability of acrylic fibre with cationic and disperse dyes

Acrylic fibres were hydrolysed with sodium hydroxide of different concentrations at 50 degrees C for different durations and then dyed separately with cationic dyes (C.I. Basic Red 18 and C.I. Basic Blue 3) and disperse dyes (C.I. Disperse Orange 3 and C.I. Disperse Red 17) in different per cent of shades. The dyeing performance of these hydrolysed acrylic fibres was studied taking into account the structural transformation occurred due to hydrolysis process. It has been observed that the hydrolysed fibres always exhibit higher dye uptake than the untreated ones. Hydrolysed fibres also have higher diffusion coefficients than the untreated fibres. Cationic dyes show better dyeing performance than the disperse dyes. The wash fastness of dyed samples is quite satisfactory at all levels of dyeing.