Some Aspects of the Electro‐chemistry of Dyeing

An attempt is made to provide a simple physical picture of the effect of electrical forces upon the dyeing process. Since both fibres and colour ions are electrically charged relative to the water by which they are surrounded, they either attract or repel one another, according as to whether they are oppositely or similarly charged. This electrostatic effect is not the principal factor in the affinity of a dye for the fibre, but the variations in the strength and character of the electrostatic force are responsible for the effects of salt in dyeing, and for the effect of acid on the dyeing of silk and wool. The progress of research on this problem is also indicated.