Dyeing natural fibres in supercritical carbon dioxide using a nonionic surfactant reverse micellar system

Abstract

A reverse micellar system in supercritical carbon dioxide has been developed as a dyeing medium. Water‐soluble dyes such as reactive dyes and acid dyes could be sufficiently solubilised in the interior of a specially constituted reverse micelle. Protein fabrics, silk and wool, were satisfactorily dyed even in deep shades with conventional acid dyes without any special pretreatment. Cotton cellulose fabric was also dyed with conventional reactive dyes when the electrostatic force of repulsion between dye and cotton was eliminated. Compared to previously proposed supercritical dyeing methods, dyeing of fabrics with this system could be performed at low temperatures and pressures in a short time.