Mercerization of Ramie: Comparisons with Flax and Cotton

The dyeing behavior ( i.e., rate and quantity of dye take-up and color yield ) of slack and tension mercerized ramie yarn was examined. Comparisons were made between untreated and mercerized ramie yarns and similarly treated flax and cotton yarns dyed with direct dyes of varying molecular weight. The dye exhaustion patterns and depth of shade achieved by each dye on the three untreated yarns varied. After mercerization, there were increases in the rate and quantity of dye exhausted and in the depth of shade produced for all three fibers. In each case, slack mercerization resulted in higher dye sorption and more increase in color yield than tension mercerization. In general, both untreated and mercerized ramie exhibited lower dyebath exhaustion than similarly treated flax or cotton. Even with less actual dye on fiber, however, the depth of shade achieved on ramie was deeper than that produced on flax or cotton.