Microwave-Supported Green Dyeing of Mordanted Wool Fabric with Arjun Bark Extracts

Sustainable extraction of functional colorant from dye-yielding plant through microwave radiations is gaining popularity due to its cost, time and effective nature. Current study is concerned with the microwave-assisted exploration of Arjun bark natural colorant for dyeing of mordanted wool fabric. Extracts obtained in various media were irradiated up to 6 min and were used to dye wool. It is found that acid methanol-solubilized extract (3 pH) from 4 g powder upon irradiation for 4 min has given darker shades onto irradiated wool at dyeing for 75 min. FTIR analysis shows that there is no change in chemical nature of functional site of wool, whereas SEM analysis shows that there are some morphological changes occurring at the surface. At optimal conditions, acceptable fastness characteristics are obtained, when 9% of turmeric extracts as pre- and post-bio-mordant and 5% of Fe as pre- and 3% of Fe as post-mordant is employed. It is concluded that microwave has not only improved the functional behavior of natural colorant from Arjun bark for wool dyeing but also the addition of green mordants has made dyeing process more esthetic.