Eco-dyeing of wool yarn with Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Ber) and its colour fastness properties

In search of eco-friendly processes for dyeing with natural dyes research has been focused on identification and standardization of natural dyes. Considering the growing importance of natural colourants all over the world, the present work was undertaken with on aim to study the colour fastness properties of wool yarn dyed with bark of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (ber). The dyed wool samples had good to excellent colour fastness to washing, crocking perspiration and sunlight. Different shades of brown colour of rust, candy pink, biscuit brown, nut brown and light brown were obtained using different mordants. This type of eco-dyeing process may be helpful in increasing the variety of colours in the field of textiles

Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle): A potential source of bast fiber

Roselle is a bast fiber, and its utilization as a textile fiber for the development of textile products is still scanty. A work has been attempted to develop yarn from Roselle. Fibers were extracted from Roselle bark by decortication and degummed in alkaline medium. The degumming process was optimized based on fiber yield and strength. The degummed fibers were then bleached by the hydrogen peroxide bleaching process. Degummed and bleached fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Degumming and bleaching results in enhancement of density, fineness, and brightness of Roselle fiber. A marginal decrease in tenacity of the Roselle fiber was observed after bleaching; however, the strength was not affected by degumming. Fibers were converted into fine yarn in the jute spinning system. The yarn properties inferred that the yarn possessed essential properties for the preparation of apparels and home furnishing

Multifunctional Finishing of Woolens with Lemongrass Oil

In the reported work, lemongrass oil was coated on the wool fabrics to impart multifunctional finish. During the treatment, chitosan was used as a crosslinking agent. The coated fabrics were characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR and computer color matching in addition to mechanical and handle associated properties. The effect of coating was analyzed on the three functional properties viz., moth repellence, UV protection and aroma of the fabric. During the moth repellence test, the lemongrass treated wool fabrics showed higher moth mortality (80%) and less weight loss (14%). The UV protection factor (UPF) was also found higher (127) than the untreated wool fabric (44). The coated fabrics retained aroma even after 90 days of storage. This environment-friendly fabric coating can be applied to different types of woolen products and other textiles for value addition

Development of Apparels from Silk Waste and Pineapple Leaf Fiber

The degummed mulberry silk waste and eri silk waste were blended with degummed and bleached pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) at fiber stage in different proportions, and spun into yarn in a jute spinning system. The 90-tex blended yarn thus developed was analyzed for different physico-mechanical properties. Properties of fabric developed in a traditional handloom using 2/40-s cotton as warp and blended yarn as weft were also analyzed. The quality parameters, viz., tensile property, crease recovery, fabric cover, stiffness, drape, and thickness of the developed fabric, met essential apparel requirements. A comparative subjective evaluation of the fabric quality, viz., aesthetic appearance, luster, and texture, was made with the help of a group of people from different age, educational, and occupational background to examine its marketability; all respondents felt that appearance of PALF with silk waste was excellent. Texture and luster were found to be from medium to moderate. About 95% of respondents felt that fabric was crispy

Dyeing of Mulberry Silk Using Binary Combination of Henna Leaves and Monkey Jack Bark

The present work deals with the dyeing of mulberry silk yarns with a mixture of two colorants extracted from Lawsonia inermis and Artocarpus lacucha. The dyes were extracted with acid, alkaline and neutral medium. Different proportions of the dye and metallic mordants were made and the dyeing was performed at 80°C with pre, post and meta mordanting techniques. The extent of dyeing was studied on the basis of K/S values. It was found that, the highest dye intensity was obtained when a mild alkaline medium was used for dye extraction. The highest color value was obseved for the combination of monkey jack dye mordanted with copper sulfate by the meta mordanting method. The color fastness properties were also found to be good. The phytochemical analysis of the selected dyes showed the presence of active components like saponins, glycosides, terpenoids and tannins, which was further confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Multi-year investigations of near surface and columnar aerosols over Dibrugarh, Northeastern location of India: heterogeneity in source impacts

The total and size segregated near surface aerosol mass concentrations obtained using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) impactor over Dibrugarh (27.3°N, 94.6°E, 111 m amsl), in the extreme northeastern part of India, during the period 2007 to 2009 are analyzed with concurrent measurements of columnar spectral aerosol optical depths (AOD) to infer on the seasonal changes in the contribution of near surface aerosols to columnar aerosol properties. Mass concentrations within the well-mixed atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) showed systematic seasonal dependence, with annual high (∼75.6 ± 17.7 μg m−3) in February and low (∼24.8 ± 6.5 μg m−3) in June; with both the total (Mt) and accumulation mode (Ma) aerosol mass concentrations depicted similar variations. The accumulation mode aerosols contributed more than 50% to the total aerosol mass concentration throughout the year; accumulation mass fraction (Af = Ma/Mt) being highest during Dec–Feb (mean value of Af ∼ 0.87 ± 0.03) and lowest (Af ∼ 0.54 ± 0.01) in July. Examination of the AOD properties, estimated using Multiwavelength solar radiometer (MWR) observations, showed moderate to high (∼33–72%) contributions of near surface aerosols to columnar extinction during retreating-monsoon (Oct–Nov) and winter (Dec–Feb) seasons, while it was lowest (<26%) during pre-monsoon (Mar–May) season, implying large contribution by aerosols above the ABL and in the free troposphere. Trajectory clustering and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis indicated that the potential sources over the west Asian locations and that over the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) significantly contribute to the total aerosol abundance over Dibrugarh during winter and pre-monsoon seasons