Telechelic PEG-polymers end-capped with chromophores: Using as cationic reactive dyes and salt-free dyeing properties on cotton fabrics

In this article, telechelic polymers containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) moieties as space groups were combined with chromophores to synthesize cationic reactive dyes (BCD-R, BCD-Y, and BCD-B). The salt-free dyeing performance of these telechelic polymeric cationic reactive dyes on cotton fabrics was evaluated. The exhaustion and fixation of the dyes in salt-free dyeing was above 89.33 and 77.22%, respectively. The color fastness of dry rubbing for the three dyes reached grade 4–5, and their color fastness to light reached grade 5–6. Their washing fastness also reached grade 4–5, except for that of BCD-Y (grade 3–4). The results showed that the dyes possessed good leveling and build-up properties and substantivity to cellulose fiber. The zeta potential (ξ-potential) of dyed fabric was estimated, and it was found that the ξ-potential of the fabrics increased after dying with telechelic polymeric cationic reactive dyes, and the more dye that was used, the greater ξ-potential increase. The exhaustion curves of dyes were also determined, and they were much different from those of anionic reactive dyes. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of BCD-R were investigated. It was found that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model gave the best fit of the experimental data at all three tested dyeing temperatures (25, 45, and 65°C) with R² values over 0.998. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich models could be used to describe the adsorption of BCD-R onto cellulose fibers and the Langmuir model fit the experimental data better than the Freundlich model. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔS, ΔH, and activation energy) of the dye adsorption process were researched further. The results indicated that the adsorption of BCD-R onto cotton fibers was spontaneous and exothermic and that after adsorption onto the cotton fibers, the degree of freedom of the dye decreased.