Textile manufacturing has long grappled with the environmental impact of traditional printing methods, particularly the use of urea and alkali. However, a team of researchers from the National Research Centre in Egypt have uncovered a novel solution – the use of trisodium nitrilotriacetate (TNA) as a sustainable alternative for reactive printing of cotton and cellulosic regenerated blended fabrics. Their findings suggest that TNA can not only completely substitute urea and alkali, but also deliver superior color strength, dye fixation, and fastness properties compared to conventional printing methods. This breakthrough paves the way for a greener future in the textile industry.
Blending the Best of Both Worlds
Textile manufacturers have long recognized the appeal of blending natural fibers like cotton with regenerated cellulosic fibers such as Tencel, and Click Here
’>modal</a>. These blends combine the comfort, handle, and aesthetic characteristics of cotton with the natural advantages of regenerated cellulosic fibers. However, the printing and dyeing of these blended fabrics have presented their own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to the environmental impact of the process.</p>
<p><h3>The Problem with Traditional Printing Methods</h3>
</p>
<p>Conventional reactive printing of cotton and cellulosic blended fabrics often relies on the use of urea and inorganic alkali, which can pose significant ecological problems. Urea, for instance, contributes to the high nitrogen content in printing effluents, while the large quantities of inorganic alkali required result in high levels of total dissolved solids. These factors have made the reduction or elimination of urea and alkali in reactive printing a pressing environmental concern.</p>
<p><h3>Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate to the Rescue</h3>
</p>
<p>The research team, led by Abdalla A Mousa, Alsaid A Almetwally, Sahar H Nassar, Nahed S Ahmed, Hesham M Fahmy, and Reda M El-Shishtawy, set out to explore the use of <b>trisodium nitrilotriacetate (TNA)</b> as a sustainable alternative to urea and alkali in the reactive printing of cotton and cellulosic regenerated blended fabrics.</p>
<p><h3>Methodology and Findings</h3>
</p>
<p>The researchers conducted a comprehensive study, comparing the performance of three different print pastes: one containing urea and alkali, another with TNA and alkali, and a third with TNA alone. They evaluated various factors, including the concentrations of dye, TNA, urea, the presence or absence of alkali, and steaming time, to assess the impact on color strength, dye fixation, dye penetration, leveling, and fastness properties.</p>
<p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://famefreq.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1729684969_41598_2024_75633_Fig1_HTML.png" alt="figure 1" class="wp-image-1" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fig. 1</figcaption></figure>
</p>
<p>The results were remarkable. Printed fabrics using TNA, both with and without alkali, exhibited the highest color strength and dye fixation values, outperforming the conventional urea and alkali print paste. Interestingly, the researchers found that the use of TNA without alkali delivered the best results, suggesting that TNA can effectively act as both a fixing agent and a dye-uptake enhancer, eliminating the need for additional alkali.</p>
<p><h3>Improving Penetration and Leveling</h3>
</p>
<p>The researchers also investigated the reactive dye penetration and leveling properties of the printed fabrics. They found that the TNA-based print pastes, especially the one without alkali, exhibited superior dye penetration and leveling compared to the conventional urea and alkali print paste.</p>
<p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://famefreq.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1729684970_41598_2024_75633_Fig2_HTML.png" alt="figure 2" class="wp-image-2" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fig. 2</figcaption></figure>
</p>
<p>This is a significant advantage, as it addresses the challenge of achieving uniform and consistent printing on lightweight fabrics, which can be difficult to achieve with traditional methods.</p>
<p><h3>Excellent Color and Fastness Properties</h3>
</p>
<p>The printed fabrics demonstrated excellent color and fastness properties, regardless of the print paste used. However, the TNA-based print pastes, particularly the one without alkali, showed the best overall performance in terms of color strength, dye fixation, and fastness to washing, perspiration, and rubbing.</p>
</p>
<p>These findings suggest that the use of TNA in reactive printing not only improves the environmental sustainability of the process but also delivers superior quality and performance compared to conventional methods.</p>
<p><h3>Paving the Way for a Greener Future</h3>
</p>
<p>The researchers’ work is a significant step forward in addressing the environmental challenges faced by the textile industry. By demonstrating the viability of using TNA as a complete substitute for urea and alkali in reactive printing, they have opened up a new and more sustainable approach to fabric printing.</p>
</p>
<p>This breakthrough has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of textile manufacturing, particularly the pollution associated with high nitrogen content and total dissolved solids in printing effluents. As the industry continues to seek more eco-friendly solutions, the use of TNA in reactive printing could become a game-changer, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for the textile sector.</p>
<p>Author credit: This article is based on research by Abdalla A Mousa, Alsaid A Almetwally, Sahar H Nassar, Nahed S Ahmed, Hesham M Fahmy, Reda M El-Shishtawy.</p>
<hr />
<p>For More Related Articles <a href=){kind=link}