Ultrasonic‐assisted dyeing: II. Nylon fibre structure and comparative dyeing rate with reactive dyes

Comparative dyeing kinetics of nylon‐6 fibre with different reactive dyes using conventional and ultrasonic conditions are presented. The time/dye‐uptake isotherms are revealing the enhanced dye‐uptake in the second phase of dyeing (diffusion phase). The data of dyeing rate fit well with the integrated form of the first‐order rate equation and values of dyeing rate constant and half‐time of dyeing are discussed. Ultrasonic efficiency in accelerating the dyeing rate relative to conventional heating was examined for all dyes used to show that ultrasonics are most effective for a dyeing system which has difficulty in achieving high dye‐uptake. To clarify the role of fibre fine structure and whether it is affected during dyeing with ultrasonic waves, time‐dependent ultrasonic pre‐treatment of nylon‐6 fibres and its effect on the colour strength obtained is presented. X‐ray diffraction studies on nylon‐6 fibres conventionally and ultrasonically pre‐treated have shown that the percentage of fibre crystallinity has become higher in ultrasonically treated fibre in comparison with that of conventionally treated. Although the increased crystallinity of the fibre, which occurs simultaneously during the ultrasonic dyeing process, would retard dye uptake, it seems that the enhanced effect of power ultrasonic is high enough to overcome this side‐effect on the fibre. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry