The effect of hot water setting treatment on the dyeing properties of grafted polyamide 6.6 microfibres

Polymeric fibres are semicrystalline structures in which macromolecules are rarely oriented in their equilibrium state. Further instabilities are imparted when the fibres are converted into yarns and the yarns into fabrics. Heat setting is an important industrial process, as it reduces the fibre strain to an acceptable limit. Although this process provides dimensional stability to polyamide 6.6, yet it affects its dyeability. This paper investigates the effects of hot water setting treatment on the dyeing properties of grafted polyamide 6.6 microfibres dyed with a cationic dye. It reveals that the dye uptake of the hot water-set samples is inferior to those unset. A kinetic study showed a change in the build-up rate. In addition, an increase in the percentage of grafting improved the quantity of the dye fixed on both unset and hot water-set samples. Comparing the wash fastness of the unset samples, the hot water ones are found to be lower. The modelling of the adsorption isotherms using Langmuir, Freundlich and Jossen relations allows the determination of isotherm constants. The results obtained have been modelled using standard adsorption isotherms.