Grey fabric contains mainly three type of

impurities:

Waxes, proteins, pectic substances and mineral

matters
Mechanically held impurities e.g. motes, leaves

Spin oils, waxes, grease

Machine oils, tars, greases, dirt, dust

 Cellulose 85-96%
Oiland Wax 0.5 -1%
Proteins, Pectoses 3-5%
and colouring Matter
Mineral Matter 0.5-1%
Moisture 7-8%
 Natural fibers contain oils, fats, waxes,
minerals, leafy matter and motes as
impurities that interfere with dyeing and
finishing.

Synthetic fibers contain producer spin

finishes, coning oils and/or knitting oils.

Mill grease used to lubricate processing

equipment mill dirt, temporary fabric
markings and the like may contaminate
fabrics as they are being produced.
 Scouring is a purifying treatment of textiles.

Also known as kiering, kier boiling or boiling

out.

The objective of scouring is to reduce the

amount of impurities sufficiently to obtain
level and reproducible results in dyeing and
finishing operations.
 Selection of Scouring Agents depends on:
Kind of fiber
Wool and silk are dissolved by alkali
Acetate and triacetate are converted to cellulose
Cotton absorbs it

Fabric type i.e. woven or knitted

Fabric density i.e. thick or thin

Texturised or non-texturised

Extent of impurities present in the fiber

 Scouring mechanism involves the following
processes:

(for vegetable oils, animal fats,

mineral oils)

(for pectins, minerals, heavy metals,

amino acid, proteins)

(for mineral oils, waxes)

(for dirt, dust, china clay)

 Sponification

The name given to the chemical reaction that

occurs when a vegetable oil, animal fat and mineral
oils (not soluble in water) are mixed with a strong
alkali. The products of the reaction are two: soap
and glycerin

Fats, oils and waxes (glycerides of fatty acids)

Soap formed enhances scouring

Quantity of residual waxes in particular decide the

absorbency of fabric
 Oil + Caustic Soda Glycerine + Soap
 Solublisation

NaOH swells the impurities & makes them water

soluble
For Pectins, protiens and motes

Minerals and heavy metals are converted to soluble

salts by use of acids

Amino acids and protiens are removed by formation

of their sodium salts
 Emulsification

An emulsion is a mixture of two or

more liquids that are normally immiscible

Non-sponifiable mineral oils and waxes which are

esters of higher fatty alcohols and fatty acids
(natural and added) can be removed by emulsifying
them with a surfactant (emulsifying agent)

Ordinary soap (washing soap) is a good emulsifying

agent
Emulsification
An emulsion consists of a base liquid, with
the other liquid contained and spread within
the base liquid in tiny droplets.
The base liquid is called the continuous
phase and the contained liquid is called the
dispersed phase.
 In order to keep the liquids uniformly distributed and
stable, an agent used is called emulsifying agent.

These agents have both a hydrophilic and a lipophilic

part in their chemical structure.

They concentrate at and are adsorbed onto the

oil:water interface to provide a protective barrier
around the dispersed droplets.

They also reduce the interfacial tension of the system.

Some agents enhance stability by imparting a charge

on the droplet surface.

In scouring it is a soap formed already.

 The remaining constituent of size and other
dust and dirt particles, stains, are removed by
detergency.

Detergency is closely bound up with surface

tension.
 When a piece of greige fabric is placed on the surface
of water in a beaker, the piece does not sink but floats
on its surface.

This is because every molecule of water is attracted by

every other molecule of water.

The molecules inside the water counterbalance the

forces from all sides and cancel out the overall effect
on them.

While the surface molecules are only pulled sideways

and downward, due to which they form and interface
between liquid and solid.
 Generally, surface tension between textile fibres, and water
is high, and hence wetting of the fibre surface does not
take place thoroughly and quickly.
A surfactant is a substance which, when applied in low
concentration, markedly reduces the surface tension of a
solution.
A good surfactant, for example, will reduce the surface
tension of water from 72 dynes/cm to 30 dynes/ cm at a
concentration of less than 0.1%.
The concentration at which no further reduction in surface
tension occurs is known as 'critical micelle concentration'.
 When a surfactant (soap) is dissolved
in water the hydrocarbon chain
(hydrophobic part tail, ==) tries to
get away from the water medium due
to its hydrophobicity and concentrate
at the surface.

The hydrophilic grouping (carboxyl

head, O) just dip in the water at the
surface and the sodium cation is in
the vicinity of negatively charged
carboxyl head.

Thus this compound, sodium

stearate (soap), distort the structure
of water and decrease the free
energy of the system.
 The reason for reddish shade after bleaching with peroxide is
the high content of manganese.

The contents of Fe, Mn, Ca and Mg varies depending upon the

origin of cotton

Can be done by complexion and consequent solublization

using an acid or alkali

Usually done by sequestering action.

They form complexes with metal ions and keep them away
from fabric.

Generally good pre-treated materials should have 100-

300 p.p.m, of Ca and Mg and 4-8 p.p.m, iron.
 Advantages
Better Levelness and more Brilliance in textile dyeing
lower peroxide consumption in bleaching
Increase in degree of Whiteness
regular decomposition of peroxide and No catalytic
damage
 Absorbency: Drop Test
Min 3 Sec and max 10 sec

Weight loss is also checked

Residual Wax Content

Wax is dissolved in a solvent
Solvent is distilled off
The sample is reweighed
 Dyeing and Chemical Technology of Textile
Fibers, By: E.R. Trotman

Chemical Technology in the pretreatment

processes of Textiles, By: S.R. Karmakar.
 Absorbency:
Drop Test
Less than 5 sec
Other tests
Wicking Height
Sinking Test
Weight loss is also checked
Residual Wax Content
Wax is dissolved in a solvent
Solvent is distilled off
The sample is reweighed
Removal of Motes
Observed visually and given a rating of 1-5