A dye can generally be described as a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to

which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in anaqueous solution, and may require
a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber.

Both dyes and pigments appear to be colored because they absorb some wavelengths
of light preferentially. In contrast with a dye, a pigment generally is insoluble, and has no affinity
for the substrate. Some dyes can be precipitated with an inert salt to produce a lake pigment, and
based on the salt used they could be aluminum lake, calcium lake or barium lake pigments.

Dyed flax fibers have been found in the Republic of Georgia dated back in a prehistoric cave to
36,000 BP.[1][2] Archaeological evidence shows that, particularly
in India and Phoenicia, dyeing has been extensively carried out for over 5000 years. The dyes
were obtained from animal,vegetable or mineral origin, with no or very little processing. By far the
greatest source of dyes has been from the plant kingdom,
notably roots,berries, bark, leaves and wood, but only a few have ever been used on a
commercial scale.

Organic dyes
The first human-made (synthetic) organic dye, mauveine, was discovered by William Henry
Perkin in 1856. Many thousands of synthetic dyes have since been prepared.

Synthetic dyes quickly replaced the traditional natural dyes. They cost less, they offered a vast
range of new colors, and they imparted better properties to the dyed materials.[3] Dyes are now
classified according to how they are used in the dyeing process.

Acid dyes are water-soluble anionic dyes that are applied to fibers such as silk, wool, nylon and
modified acrylic fibers using neutral to acid dyebaths. Attachment to the fiber is attributed, at least
partly, to salt formation between anionic groups in the dyes and cationic groups in the fiber. Acid
dyes are not substantive to cellulosic fibers. Most synthetic food colors fall in this category.

Basic dyes are water-soluble cationic dyes that are mainly applied to acrylic fibers, but find some
use for wool and silk. Usually acetic acid is added to the dyebath to help the uptake of the dye
onto the fiber. Basic dyes are also used in the coloration of paper.

Direct or substantive dyeing is normally carried out in a neutral or slightly alkaline dyebath, at or
near boiling point, with the addition of either sodium chloride (NaCl) or sodium sulfate (Na2SO4).
Direct dyes are used on cotton, paper, leather, wool, silk and nylon. They are also used as pH
indicators and as biological stains.
Mordant dyes require a mordant, which improves the fastness of the dye against
water, light and perspiration. The choice of mordant is very important as different mordants can
change the final color significantly. Most natural dyes are mordant dyes and there is therefore a
large literature base describing dyeing techniques. The most important mordant dyes are the
synthetic mordant dyes, or chrome dyes, used for wool; these comprise some 30% of dyes used
for wool, and are especially useful for black and navy shades. The mordant, potassium
dichromate, is applied as an after-treatment. It is important to note that many mordants,
particularly those in the heavy metal category, can be hazardous to health and extreme care must
be taken in using them.

Look up leuco
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dictionary.

Vat dyes are essentially insoluble in water and incapable of dyeing fibres directly. However,
reduction in alkaline liquor produces the water soluble alkalimetal salt of the dye, which, in this
leuco form, has an affinity for the textile fibre. Subsequent oxidation reforms the original insoluble
dye. The color of denim is due to indigo, the original vat dye.

Reactive dyes utilize a chromophore attached to a substituent that is capable of

directly reacting with the fibre substrate. The covalent bonds that attach reactive dye to natural
fibers make them among the most permanent of dyes. "Cold" reactive dyes, such as Procion
MX, Cibacron F, and Drimarene K, are very easy to use because the dye can be applied at room
temperature. Reactive dyes are by far the best choice for dyeing cotton and other cellulose fibers
at home or in the art studio.

Disperse dyes were originally developed for the dyeing of cellulose acetate, and are water
insoluble. The dyes are finely ground in the presence of a dispersing agent and sold as a paste,
or spray-dried and sold as a powder. Their main use is to dye polyester but they can also be used
to dye nylon, cellulose triacetate, and acrylic fibres. In some cases, a dyeing temperature of
130 °C is required, and a pressurised dyebath is used. The very fine particle size gives a large
surface area that aids dissolution to allow uptake by the fibre. The dyeing rate can be significantly
influenced by the choice of dispersing agent used during the grinding.

Azoic dyeing is a technique in which an insoluble azo dye is produced directly onto or within the
fibre. This is achieved by treating a fibre with both diazoic and coupling components. With
suitable adjustment of dyebath conditions the two components react to produce the required
insoluble azo dye. This technique of dyeing is unique, in that the final color is controlled by the
choice of the diazoic and coupling components.
Sulfur dyes are two part "developed" dyes used to dye cotton with dark colors. The initial bath
imparts a yellow or pale chartreuse color, This is aftertreated with a sulfur compound in place to
produce the dark black we are familiar with in socks for instance. Sulfur Black 1 is the largest
selling dye by volume.

[edit]Food dyes
One other class which describes the role of dyes, rather than their mode of use, is the food dye.
Because food dyes are classed as food additives, they are manufactured to a higher standard
than some industrial dyes. Food dyes can be direct, mordant and vat dyes, and their use is strictly
controlled by legislation. Many are azoic dyes,
although anthraquinone and triphenylmethane compounds are used for colors such
as green and blue. Some naturally-occurring dyes are also used.
What makes the Dyes coloured?

This is a very common question that occurs in everybodies mind. The answer to which is explained by the
presence of a substance called Chromophore in the dyes. By definition dyes are basically aromatic
compounds. Their structures have aryl rings that has delocalised electron systems. These structures are
said to be responsible for the absorption of electromagnetic radiation that has varying wavelengths, based
upon the energy of the electron clouds.

It is actually because of this reason that chromophores do not make dyes coloured. Rather it makes the
dyes proficient in their ability to absorb radiation. Chromophores acts by making energy changes in the
delocalised electron cloud of the dye. This alteration invariably results in the compound absorbing radiation
within the visible range of colours and not outside it. Human eyes detects this absorption, and responds to
the colours.

Another possibility is that if the electrons are removed from the electron cloud, it may result in loss of colour.
Removing electrons may cause the rest of the electrons to revert to the local orbits. A very good example is
the Schiff's reagent. As sulphurous acid reacts with pararosanilin, what happens is that a sulphonic group
attaches itself to the compound's central carbon atom. This hampers the conjugated double bond system of
the quinoid ring, and causes the electrons to become localised. As a consequence the ring ceases to be a
chromophore. As a result, the dye becomes colourless.

To conclude chromophores are the atomic configurations which has delocalised electrons. Generally they
are represented as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur. They can have alternate single and double bonds.

How can the colour of the Dyes be altered?

The answer lies in the Modifiers. Colour modifiers like methyl or ethyl groups can actually alter the colour of
dyes. They do so by altering the energy in the delocalised electrons. It has been found that by addition of a
particular modifier there is a progressive alteration of colour. An example can be given for methyl violet
series.

The following diagram explains what happens to the colour of the dyes when modifiers are added.
Step A: When no methylgroup is added the original dye Pararosanil as it is called is red in colour.

Step B: As Four Methyl groups are added the reddish purple dye Methyl Violet is got.

Step C: With the addition of more groups a purple blue dye Crystal Violet is obtained. It has in it six such
groups.

Step D: Further addition of a seventh methyl group the dye that is got is called Methyl green.

What gives the Dyes Solubility and Cohesiveness?

The answer to this riddle lies in substance called Auxochrome. Moreover the Auxochromes has also the
abilty to intensify colours. It is a group of atoms which attaches to non-ionising compounds yet has the ability
to ionise. Auxochromes are of two types, positively charged or negatively charged.
 Classification of Dyes

There are several ways for classification of dyes. It should be noted that each class of dye has a very unique
chemistry, structure and particular way of bonding. While some dyes can react chemically with the
substrates forming strong bonds in the process, others can be held by physical forces. Some of the
prominent ways of classification is given hereunder.

• Organic/Inorganic
• Natural/Synthetic
• By area and method of application
• Chemical classification- Based on the nature of their respective chromophores.
• By nature of the Electronic Excitation(i.e, energy transfer colorants, absorption colorants and
fluorescent colorants).
• According to the dyeing methods
o Anionic(for Protein fibre)
o Direct(Cellulose)
o Disperse(Polyamide fibres)
• However the most popular classification is the one that is advocated by the US International Trade
Commission. This system classifies dyes into 12 types.

Group Application

Direct Cotton, cellulosic and blended fibres

Vat dyes Cotton, cellulosic and blended fibres

Sulphur Cotton, cellulosic fibre

Organic pigments Cotton, cellulosic, blended fabric, paper

Reactive Cellulosic fibre and fabric

Disperse dyes Synthetic fibres

Acid Dyes Wool, silk, paper, synthetic fibres, leather

Azoic Printing Inks and Pigments

Basic Silk, wool, cotton

Application of Dyes and Pigments

Dyes
Have you ever wondered what gives the t-shirt you
wear its jazzy colours or the leather shoes its Did you Know?
shinning black or for that matter the colour print out Dyes are an integral part of Microbiology Dyes are
you have just taken from your printer. Perhaps used to make the microorganisms distinctly visible
there would be a very few applications, where and or differentiate them. Crystal violet (C-8650) and
there would be no use of the dyes. Constant safranine (S-0700) are the two dyes that are used in
researches done over the 20th century and there Gram's stain. Gram's stain, is a technique of staining
after has resulted into every imaginable form of that is used to classify bacteria. In it a bacterial
color of dye. Modern dyes serves more than just specimen is stained with crystal violet, afterwards it
being pretty. They have become indispensable is treated with an iodine solution, decolourized with
tools for a variety of industries. From acting as alcohol, and lastly again counter stained with
colorants for plastics, Textile dyeing industries and safranine. It has been found that Gram-positive
the highly sophisticated biotechnology industry bacteria is able to retain the violet stain, while gram-
dyes are touching our life everywhere. Dyes are negative bacteria is not.
also used by industries for inks and tinting. Today
various dyes are manufactured to meet the requirements of each type of industries. Dyes are available in
various forms. Examples are dry powders, granules, pastes, liquids, pellets, and chips.

Other industries where dyes are used in a variety of products include paper and pulp, adhesives, art
supplies, beverages, ceramics, construction, cosmetics, food, glass, paints, polymers, soap, wax
biomedicine etc.

Dyes that cater to speciality industries often come with specialized properties that include:

• Resistance to heat
• Resistance to weather conditions
• Resistance to ultraviolet light (UV)
• Some products are water soluble
• Conducts electricity
• Contain reinforcing fibers
• Free from heavy metals