Improved Weather Resistance by Acetylating Vat-Dyed Cotton

Abstract

Cotton has been made unusually resistant to degradation by weather by first dyeing it with certain light-stable vat dyes and following this with partial acetylation. Vat dyeing alone or partial acetylation alone do not make cotton significantly more resistant to deterioration by sunlight than undyed fabrics, except for a few colors which do have a protective effect. However, when these two processes are combined, excellent re sistance to solar radiation is added to the excellent mildew- and rot-resistance of partially acetylated cotton. Data were obtained on a number of individual vat-dyed and vat-dyed and acetylated cotton materials that had been exposed to outdoor weathering. From the results of these tests, it is estimated that the combination of vat dyeing with light fast colors and acetylating may more than double the outdoor service life compared to cotton vat dyed only, or acetylated only, with somewhat better color retention when the cotton has been both dyed and acetylated.