Chemical Substances in Textile Industry
Here are some list of chemicals used in dyeing industry:
1. Soda Fire (NaOH)
Sodium hydroxide is available in the form of fragments (100% concentrate) or in liquid form with various concentrations.
- Usage in textile industry:
- To control the pH value;
- Fixation of reactive dyes;
- Staining with Indigo and Naphthol;
- The bleaching process with hydrogen peroxide;
- As a kanji-clearing agent;
- Used for the cooking process of cotton, rayon and polyester fabrics;
- Mercerization process on cotton fabrics;
- The process of weight reduction on polyester fabrics;
- Improvement of crepe on cotton fabrics, etc.
2. Chloride Acid (HCl)
HCl is a yellowish liquid with a strong, pungent, highly corrosive scent. Commonly as one of many list of chemicals used in dyeing industry.
Usage in textile industry
- As a saponification element for Indigosol dyes;
- As kanji-defeating agent on natural kanji type, etc.
3. Sodium Nitrite (NaNO₂)
Sodium nitrite is a yellowish white crystalline powder that can be dissolved in water. The compound is a strong oxidizing agent.
Usage in textile industry: As an oxidizing element for the formation of a tank dye (vat dye) Leuco becomes a form that can not be dissolved (fixation), etc.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂)
Hydrogen peroxide has strong oxidizing properties and is a great bleaching agent. Hydrogen peroxide is also flammable.
Usage in textile industry:
- For oxidative bleaching in cotton;
- Oxidation of staining with Indigo and tank dyes (vat dyes), etc.
5. Sodium Ditionite (Na₂S₂O₄)
Sodium ditionite (sodium hydrosulfite) is a white crystalline powder with a sulfurous smell. Sodium ditionite is a water-soluble salt, and mostly used as a reducing agent in the form of aqueous solutions.
Usage in textile industry:
- For reductive bleaching in cotton;
- Reduction of tank dyes (vat dyes) and Indigo into water-soluble form, etc.
6. Sodium Carbonate (Na₂CO₃)
Sodium carbonate is a white crystalline powder known as soda ash.
Usage in textile industry:
- To adjust the pH of the dye pool;
- Improve the purity of the dye in the coloring process;
- Refinement of crepe on rayon clothes;
- Used for cooking process of wool and silk etc.
7. Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3)
Sodium silicate (water glass) is a strong alkali compound.
Usage in textile industry:
- Used as a binder for reactive dyes;
- As a stabilizer in the bleaching process with peroxides, etc.
8. Naphthol dyes and reactive dyes
Naphthol color substances and reactive dyes are included in the class of Azo compounds. Azo compounds are dangerous chemicals when they enter the body and accumulate. Azo compounds can reduce aromatic amines that produce arylamines which can cause allergies to the skin.
In addition, the dyeing agent used for both dyes is the same dye of naphthol requires the ingredients of diazium salt and sodium hydroxide as dye adhesion into the fabric, while the reactive dyestuff requires sodium hydroxide and alkali for the adhesion process.
Usage in textile industry:
- Used with diazonium salts to dye the cotton used for batik in room temperature;
- Used for dyeing cellulose fibers, etc.
9. Rhodamine B
Rhodamine B is one of the synthetic dyes commonly used in the textile and paper industry, but the use of Rhodamine in food is still in the field. For example, Food Inspector in Makassarfound Rhodamine-B substances in crackers, bottles, and syrups through examination of a number of food and drink samples, which is so dangerous if we consume it. Rhodamine B is also a chemical used as a basic dye in textiles and paper. Initially this substance is used for histology and is now evolving for various purposes related to its fluorinated nature in sunlight.
The molecular formula of Rhodamine B is C28H31N2O3Cl with a molecular weight of 479,000. The substance that is strictly forbidden to use in this food is shaped green crystals or purple-reddish powder, very soluble in water that will produce a bluish-red color and strong fluorence. Rhodamine B is also a soluble substance in alcohol, HCl, and NaOH, other than in water. In the laboratory, the agent is used as a reagent for the identification of Pb, Bi, Co, Au, Mg, and Th and its melting point at a temperature of 165⁰C.
In Rhodamine B itself there is a bond with chlorine (Cl) in which this chlorine compound is an inorganic compound that is reactive and also harmful. The reaction to bind chlorine ions is referred to as the synthesis of the dye. Here we can use Frield-Crafts Reactions to synthesizes dyes such as triarilmethane and xentane. Record between phthalate anhydride with resorcinol in the presence of zinc chloride produces fluorescein. If resorcinol is replaced by N-N-diethylaminophenol, this reaction will produce rhodamin B.
Some of the harmful properties of Rhodamine B such as irritating the eyes, causing skin irritation and redness when exposed to the skin are almost similar to the properties of chlorine as mentioned above bonded in the structure of Rhodamine B. Another cause of this compound is so dangerous if consumed is the compound is radical compounds. Radical compounds are unstable compounds.
In the structure of Rhodamine we know contain chlorine (halogen compound), the nature of halogen is easy to react or have high reactivity hence the compound because radical compound will try to achieve stability in the body by binding to the compounds in our body so that in the end will trigger cancer in humans. Thus, that’s all list of chemicals used in dyeing industry.
