The Use of Disperse Dyes Containing Diester Groups to Produce Discharge Effects on Fully Dyed Lightweight Polyester Fabrics

The chemistry of a range of disperse dyes containing diester groups of carboxylic acids (Dispersol PC dyes) are briefly described. The development of a ‘discharge–resist’ printing method and a true resist technique on 100% polyester using these disperse dyes is then outlined. The introduction of two new auxiliary products (Matexil PN–AD and PN–DG) has now led to the use of these Dispersol PC dyes in a process for the discharge printing of fully dyed lightweight polyester fabrics (generally defined as those fabrics having a weight of 80 g/m2 or less and a yarn count per filament of less than 3 dtex). Emphasis is placed on the practical processing conditions necessary to produce these discharge styles and in particular on a new approach to the print thickening system that will enable extremely fine line definition to be achieved.