Abstract
Polyester fiber has been treated in chlorinated hydrocarbon/water or water/chlorinated hydrocarbon emulsion. The chlorinated hydrocarbons used were 1, 1, 2, 2-tetrachloroethylene and 1, 1, 2, 2-tetrachloroethane. The changes in dyeing behavior, shrinkage, density, and X-ray diffraction of the fiber were studied as measures of amorphous and crystalline regions. Pretreatment in the emulsion led to greater dye uptake and rate of dye absorption. Moreover, dyeing in the presence of the emulsified tetrachloroethylene was found to increase significantly the rate of dye absorption relative to that in the absence of tetrachloroethylene or that of the fiber pretreated in the emulsion of the same composition. This appears to be due to solvent-induced structural changes of the fiber and carrier action of residual tetrachloroethylene adsorbed on the fiber.
