Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 12:03:32 -1000 From: jason.stotter@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu Message-Id: <9411101703.0NYQN00@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: DYEING NYLON Hello, Someone (I'm sorry, I can't remember who) recently posted about dyeing nylon with Kool-aide and vinegar. I tried it today with some Nylon remnants. I used cake decorating dye because I couldn't find any Kool-aide. I stuffed the Nylon in a small Mason Jar, put some different colored dyes in, and poured a couple tablespoons of white vinegar on top. Then I squished it all down in the jar and let it simmer in a pot of warm water on the stove for about a half hour. The dye set very well. I am now using it to build a small Malay kite. Whoever posted the info, thanks. It worked really well. If anyone else tries it, make sure to use the fan on the hood over the stove. I forgot and now the whole kitchen smells like vinegar. :) Good winds. Jason Stotter jason.stotter@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 15:00:15 -1000 From: hayden1009@aol.com (Hayden1009) Message-Id: <3a142v$92v@newsbf01.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: DYEING NYLON In article <9411101703.0NYQN00@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu>, jason.stotter@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu writes: >Tried i w/frosting dye and it worked! Jason, glad you had success. When I said to put the fabric, Kool-aide (dye) and vinegar in the jar, I did mention to follow the dye with water, AND THEN a few teaspoons of vinegar, right? 8^) (I don't know if too much vinegar will rot the fabric.) Glad the cake dye worked, I'm not sure how they will hold up. I believe that baking dye is vegetable dye which I don't think is as lasting as acid dyes. But I'm not sure. The Kool-aide thing is great with kids in the summer. You can leave the jarred fabric (or t-shirt) with the dye, water and vinegar covered in the hot sun for a couple of hours and when you come back it should be fine (as long as the sun stayed out). Kind of a solar dying process. It is a fun camping project if there isn't too much shade. And thanks for the note on the exhaust fan, I forgot to mention that, too. Alice Hayden :-) **Our lives are what we make them!** = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 02:43:46 -1000 From: ccdaew@leeds.ac.uk (A.E. WILLS) Message-Id: Organization: University of Leeds Subject: Re: DYEING NYLON Hello, Jason Stotter recently wrote (10/11/94) >I used cake decorating dye because I couldn't find any Kool-aide. I stuffed >the Nylon in a small Mason Jar, put some different colored dyes in, and poured >a couple tablespoons of white vinegar on top. Then I squished it all down in >the jar and let it simmer in a pot of warm water on the stove for about a half >hour. The only problem with using cake decorating dye is the fact that these dyestuffs are designed to be unstable, in order that our bodies can break then down and dispose of them safely with poisoning ourselves. The side-effect of this fact is that food dyes are notoriuosly unstable to light and will fade very quickly. Most food dyes all though not all, fall into a catagorgy of dye stuffs known as acid dyes, because they contain an acidic group in their chemical structure making them soluble in water. They are also called acid dyes because they dye substrates under acidc conditions hence the vinegar which is actually ethanoic acid. When you add acid (vinegar) to nylon it protonates the amino end groups in the polymer structure, which basically means you give the fabric a positive charge. The dye when dissolved in water has a slight negative charge. So just like the two ends of a magnet the opposite charges attract each other and the fabric is dyed. For those of you who have studied the theory of dyeing and dye chemistry, you will recognise that this is a simpified story. I think I remember somebody else saying that vinegar acts as a mordant and binds the dye to the fibre, this is only true of fibres such as cotton and wool, but not for nylon. For example wool contains a very complicated chemical structure including links between polymer chains known as sulphur bridges, vinegar can act upon these bridges causing an encapsulating type effect on the dye. This is how hair dyes that use thiosulphate or ammonia work. In my opinion acid dyes are the easiest to get hold of and to apply to nylon under home conditions. However they are not the best dye types to get a level dyeing (an even spread of colour across the whole fabric) for this you need to get disperse dyes which need to be applied in a slightly soapy dyebath. However disperse dyes wash out a little more easily than acid dyes. But its not over yet, reactive dyes actually form a chemical link between the fibre and dye and do not wash out at all. For the best light fastness, you need to use pre-metallised acid dyes. And if you want to wait for a few years I am currently investigating a range of dyes that behave like dipserse dyes in their dyeing but contain a reactive group that makes them a reactive dye type. They should be good for nylon, polyester and quite possibly Lycra (elastane). If you haven't guessed by now I actually know heaps about the dyeing of nylon as I have a BSc Hons degree in Colour Chemistry and Dyeing and am currently doing a PhD in the same subject. When I get around to it I will collect together the names of some suitable dyestuffs and address of manufactures so that you can get a hold of them. I should point out that I understand the chemistry and theory of dyeing and most techniques used comercially, but know little of home based techniques such as tie dyeing etc. Oh while I think of it I also know about printing of fabrics in the same sense. If anyone wants to know anymore then please contact me, I love getting mail. I also look at this news group quite often but skip tittles that don't catch my eye. One thing to note, most ripstop nylon sold to the kite industry has a polyurethane backing (this makes it impermeable to air). This can cause problems over dyestuff choice, except for disperse dyes. Alec = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 28 Nov 1994 09:29:00 -1000 From: eric.curtis@homebase.com (Eric Curtis) Message-Id: Organization: Home Base BBS - St. Thomas, Ontario - (519)633-7253 Subject: Re: dyeing nylon Jason Stotter, Alec from Leeds University, and others have all written recently on dyeing nylon. Kool-Aid and other food dyes are forms of acid dyes that can be used to dye ripstop nylon, but this does not mean that they are the best source for the dyes. I wrote the Kool-Aid article in Kitelines for a North American audience, knowing that the product was available in every corner grocery store, and that it was an amusing trick. When printing and painting nylon in our studio, we buy powdered acid dyes from: Pro Chemical Inc., P.O. Box 14, Somerset, MA, U.S.A. 02726 Ph: 508-676-3838 Fax: 508-676-3980 There may be similar craft level suppliers of dyestuffs in your area. Often the local spinners and weavers can point you to dye suppliers. You can also try contacting the manufacturers directly. I.C.I., Ciba-Geigy, Hoechst, Sandoz, & B.A.S.F. all produce acid dyes. They will probably steer you to a repackager, if they'll talk to you at all. In relation to Jason's description of his method of vat dyeing, he refers to using a 'canning jar'. In order to get even colour, the fabric has to be in sufficient volume of dyebath to be moved about freely. I suspect his results would be better if he used a large open stainless steel or enamel pot and brought the dye right up to the boiling point. I have tried painting with dilute cake decorating dyes and have had erratic results. I really suggest trying to find actual dye powder. If anyone has any questions feel free to contact us. We've already made most of the mistakes you're about to. Eric Curtis & Anne Sloboda Boreal Kites eric.curtis@homebase.com Sparta, Ont., Canada * OLX 2.1 TD * CANADIAN DOS: Format c:? Yer sure, eh? [S]ure [N]o-way = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1994 13:00:07 -1000 From: hayden1009@aol.com (Hayden1009) Message-Id: <3bj05n$dc6@newsbf01.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: dyeing nylon In article , eric.curtis@homebase.com (Eric Curtis) writes: >In relation to Jason's description of his method of vat dyeing, he >refers to using a 'canning jar'. In order to get even colour, the fabric >has to be in sufficient volume of dyebath to be moved about freely. The reason I mentioned the Kool-aide in a jar was specifically to get a "tie-dyed" type of effect. It was something we did with T-shirts at summer camp in the late 60's (including using the sun to heat the stuff) and it works great. I've since used the technique (with commercial dyes on wools, then spinning the stuff gives a georgous heather yarn). I've been planning to do the same type of dying with white sails I've made, with my nieces and nephews. Alice Hayden 8^) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 3 Dec 1994 07:51:57 -1000 From: jason.stotter@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu Message-Id: <9412031251.0I2O702@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: DYEING NYLON Greetings, When I recently died some nylon in a small mason jar with cake dye, I was going for the tye-died effect that Alice described. The only problem that I encountered was that the fabric wrinkled slightly. The wrinkles didn't come out comepletely when I ironed it. Does anyone know what would cause this? Somequality of the fabric? The hot water bath? Would it be possible for me to use this method again with better dyes without permanently wrikling the nylon? Good winds. Jason Stotter jason.stotter@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 14 Dec 1994 15:50:11 -1000 From: n8skier@aol.com (N8SKIER) Message-Id: <3co7cj$led@newsbf01.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: DYEING NYLON In article , ccdaew@leeds.ac.uk (A.E. WILLS) writes: Alec: I am fooling around with a new kite manufacture about developing a entry level stunt kite (6') for around $40 retail. We are very interested in puting together a package that someone could take home and tie-dye a kite. We feel it would be great for kids. I have heard little on the subject, but you seem to have a good knowledge about the topic. Aside from the affects mentioned in your mail article, what means of color should we use? I must state that this is just an idea. I have just made a new sail out of standard 3/4oz. nylon, and plan to follow the routine you mentioned earlier. Some people have told me to use Kool-Aid? A response would be greatly appreciated. N8. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =