Low temperature dyeing of wool fabric by acid dye after UV irradiation

The aim of the work was to improve wool’s dyeability using acid dye through a simple pretreatment with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Different radiation doses were investigated using both a laboratory UV lamp and a semi-industrial apparatus. UV-treated fabrics were characterized in terms of morphological, chemical and physical properties by SEM, FTIR-ATR spectra, water contact angle measurements, bursting and pilling test. The pre-treated samples were then dyed with an acid dye at different dyeing temperatures to compare the results with the untreated fabric. Final bath exhaustion reached, kinetic curves and colour measurements were evaluated. Moreover, the colour levelness of the dyeings obtained on fabrics with and without irradiation was assessed. Finally, dyeing fastness to washing and rubbing were determined according to ISO standard methods.