Sunday, March 11, 2012

Bleaching

The natural fibre and fabrics even after scouring still contain naturally occuring colouring matter. This yellowish and brown discolouration may be related to flavone pigments of the cotton flower. The climate, soil, drought and frost can also cause various degrees of yellowness. Tips of leaves or stalks coming in contact with the moist ball after opening will cause dark spots and discolouration. Discolouration may also come from dirt, dust, insects or from harvesting or processing equipment in the form of oils and greases. The object of bleaching is to produce white fabrics by destroying the colouring matter with the help of bleaching agents with minimum degradation of the fibre. The bleaching agents either oxidise or reduce the colouring matter which is washed out and whiteness thus obtained is of permanent nature. Chemical bleaching of textile fibres is further aided by addition of optical brighteners.

When fibres are to be dyed to very dark shades, where fibres brightness is not so important bleaching is not required. For light and medium shades , fibre brightness is important, bleaching is an essential operation before dyeing and printing.

Object of bleaching
  • To remove the natural colouring material
  •  Any other colouring material from natural fibres or man-made fibres
Types of Bleaching

¨The natural coloring material can be destroyed in two types:
  • Oxidation 
  • Reduction
Oxidation bleaching agents 
  • Chlorine 
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
Reduction bleaching agent
  • Sodium sulphite 
  • Sodium hydrosulphite
 

  


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