Wettability and Colors Changes of Sulfur Black Dyed Cellulosic Materials after New Ecological Washing Treatment: Experimental Study and Empirical Models

The objective of this research was to use the hydrogen peroxide as eco-friendly washing product to achieve a fading effect by creating a desirable gray vintage-look on sulfur black-dyed jean fabric. Visual appearance and colorimetric study using spectrophotometer showed that only the new two-steps process developed in this study helps to get the desirable look appearance with a good fastness. The (K/S)(sum) value of the two-steps process washed fabric decreased significantly (23.9% and 38.1% for washing at 80 degrees C and 95 degrees C, respectively). The SEM photos indicated that the physical properties of the cotton fibers are changed by effect of the peroxide hydrogen washing two-steps process. Indeed, a part of the cuticle is removed and the natural twists is disappeared with a specific tendency to fibrillation causing roughness and chemical heterogeneity of the fabric surface. The surface wettability of the two-steps process washed fabric was deeply changed as estimated by the initial contact angle values, the droplet spreading, the absorbency kinetics, and the total processing time of spreading.