Abstract

DYEING PROPERTIES OF NATURAL DYE EXTRACTED FROM PUNICA GRANATUM BARK

*Zafar Iqbal and Lubna Liaqat

Abstract

Natural dyes being biodegradable, compatible and generally nontoxic and non-allergic to the skin are getting great attention now a days. Furthermore, these are easily available in almost all the parts of the world. A natural dye was extracted from Punica granatum bark in aqueous medium and was used to dye the scoured cotton by direct dyeing method. Dye extraction was carried out by soaking the material for one night and following boiling at 1000C with stirring for 100 minutes. Three mordants; alum, ferrous sulphate, and oxalic acid, (1%, 2% & 3%) were applied for dyeing which act as electron acceptor for the electron donor dye molecules and form co-ordinate covalent bond rendering them suitable for the dyeing process. Dyeing was carried out at 95⁰C for 30-35 minutes and color fastness properties at rubbing, perspiration and in light were assessed. The dye has good saturation on cotton fabrics without mordants and excellent results with oxalic acid mordant were obtained. Our study shows that natural dye obtained from pomegranate bark can provide good bright hues and color fastness properties. This can serve as a rich source of raw material for dyeing of cotton fabric in future.

Keywords: Pomegranate, Natural dye, Mordant, Oxalic acid, Grey scale.