Dye Pigment - Example of Pigment for Dye in 2024

17 Years of Experience in Pigment Dye Solutions - Original Dye Pigments Manufacturer - KingChroma

What is Pigment Dye?

A pigment dye is an intensively colored or fluorescent organic substance. It absorbs light selectively to color substrates. A pigment is a kind of colored, black, white or fluorescent particulate organic or inorganic solid. It is usually insoluble in carriers or substrates. Essentially, it is physically and chemically unaffected by carriers or substrates therein. These are major differences between dyes and pigments.

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Reflective Pigment for Dye

Iron oxide powder for Dye

Titanium dioxide Pigment for Dye

Chrome Pigment for Dye

Dye Pigment FAQs

What are the types of dye pigments?

Dye pigments are classified as follows by properties and applications.

By state

Water-based color paste, oil-based color paste, water-based color concentrate, oil-based color concentrate

By use

Ceramic pigments, paint pigments, textile pigments, plastic pigments

By source

Natural dyes, vegetable dyes, animal dyes, synthetic dyes (also known as artificial dyes)

By properties and applications

Direct dyes

They are named due to direct dyeing of cotton, linen, silk, wool and other fibers without other agents. They feature simple application, complete chromatography and low cost. But they have poor washing resistance and light fastness. Appropriate post-treatment may be conducted for better color fastness of finished products.

Reactive dyes

They are also known as activated dyes. They are novel dyes developed after the 1950s. Their molecular structures contain one or more active groups. They can chemically react with fibers under appropriate conditions to form covalent bonds. Reactive dyes are for dyeing of cotton, linen, silk, wool, viscose, nylon, vinylon and other kinds of textile.

Sulphur dyes

Most of sulfur dyes are insoluble in water and organic solvents, but are soluble in alkali sulfide solution. They can be used to directly dye fibers after dissolution. As its alkalinity is too high, sulfur dyes are not suitable for dyeing of protein fibers. They feature complete chromatography, low cost, and high color fastness, but their colors are not bright.

Disperse dyes

They have very low solubility in water. Fine particles are dispersed, so disperse dyes are non-ionic dyes They are mainly for polyester dyeing, with high color fastness.

Acid dyes

They are water-soluble. Most of them contain water-soluble groups such as sulfonic acid groups and carboxyl groups. They can be used to directly dye protein fibers in acidic, weakly acidic or neutral media. But they have poor color fastness in wet treatment.

VAT dyes

VAT dyes do not include azo dyes which are decomposed under specific conditions to produce 22 carcinogenic aromatic amines. They are not allergic dyes, carcinogenic dyes or acute toxic dyes. They contain no environmental hormones. If VAT dyes are used, the chromaticity of wastewater is low. VAT dyes are alternatives to prohibited dyes.

Cationic dyes

Cationic dyes are dedicated for polyacrylonitrile fibers. They are usually produced by double salt precipitation of zinc chloride. The zinc content in cationic dyes is high, generally 15% to 20%.

What is the difference between dyes and pigments

Dyes and pigments are mainly different in the solubility, coloring principle, use and chemical composition. See the details below.

Solubility

Dyes are usually soluble in water or some solvents. They penetrate into fibers or substrates at the molecular level to form chemical bonds. Pigments are insoluble in water or most solvents. They usually exist in a granular form in media.

Coloring principle

Dyes change their structures in applications, while pigments do not. Dyes are used for coloring by selective light absorption or chemical bonding, while pigments by light scattering or chemisorption.

Use

Dyes are mainly used in textile dyeing and printing. They are also applied in plastics, rubber, ink, leather, food, paper, etc. Pigments are mainly used in paint, ink, rubber, plastic and synthetic fiber liquid coloring. They are also used for textile dyeing and printing.

Chemical composition

Dyes are mainly organic, while pigments may be organic or inorganic.

Particle size:

dye particles are very small, while pigment particles are relatively large.

Transparency

Dyes and pigments are also different in transparency. Dyes are more transparent than pigments.

Accessory pigment group

Dyes contain accessory pigment groups, while pigments contain no accessory pigment groups.

Affinity

Dyes also have direct affinity to materials, while pigments have no direct affinity.

Binder

Binders are needed for dyes but not for pigments. This is another difference between dyes and pigments.

Structural change in coloring

Dye structures change temporarily in applications, while pigment structures do not change.

Diffusion

Dyes are diffused in colored objects, while pigment are diffused on colored objects.

Coloring method

Dyes are for coloring by selective absorption, while pigments by light scattering or selective absorption.

Cost

Another major difference between dyes and pigments lies in the cost. Dyes are expensive, while pigments are relatively cheap.

Light fastness

Dyes have low light fastness while pigments have high light fastness.

Resistance

Dyes have low resistance to products, while pigments have high resistance.

How to choose dyes and pigments

By fiber properties

Due to different properties of fibers, suitable dyes should be chosen. For example, the molecular structure of cotton fibers has hydrophilic hydroxyl groups, so it is prone to moisture absorption and swelling. It chemically reacts to reactive groups and also has alkali resistance. Therefore, direct, VAT, sulfur, ice and reactive dyes should be used to dye cotton fibers. Polyester has strong hydrophobicity, but it is not alkali resistant at high temperature. Generally, disperse dyes should be used to dye polyester.

By application

Due to different applications, dyed products have different requirements for color fastness. For example, curtains are not often washed, but are always exposed to sunlight. Therefore, dyes with high light fastness should be used. Light-colored underwear and summer wear are often washed and exposed to sunlight, so dyes with color, light and sweat fastness should be used.

By cost

In addition to the color and fastness, the costs and sources of dyes and auxiliaries should be considered. For example, expensive dyes should be replaced with those with the same effects as much as possible, in order to reduce production costs.

By color matching

For color matching, attention should be paid to the composition, solubility, color fastness, dyeing rate and other properties of dyes. Dyes have different dyeing properties, dyeing effects are often affected by the temperature, solubility, dyeing rate, etc. Dyes with similar properties should be used in color matching. The more similar the properties of dyes, the better the effects. This is conducive to process control and stable dyeing quality.

By mechanical properties

Dyeing machines have different requirements for dye properties. For example, dyes with high substantivity should be used for jig dyeing, and those with low substantivity for pad dyeing. Otherwise, there may be nonconformities, such as uneven color, luster, etc.

What are the steps for using dyes pigments?

Dyes are common chemicals for dyeing of fabrics, paper, leather, etc. They are used as follows.

Preparation: Select appropriate dyes and materials, and prepare necessary tools and equipment, such as pots, spoons, thermometers, etc.
Material cleaning: Clean the materials to be dyed, to ensure that dyes penetrate evenly into each part.
Dye dissolution: Calculate the amount of dye, according to the weight of the material to be dyed and the desired color. Put the dye into the pot, add enough water, and thoroughly mix them. Add auxiliaries (e.g. salt or vinegar) to enhance the coloring effect, based on different types of dyes.
Heating: Heat the solution in the pot to an appropriate temperature (usually 80-100°C), and hold it for some time. Thus, dye molecules in the solution will better penetrate into the material.
Soaking: Put the dyed material into the pot, and stir it with the spoon. Soak it for some time (usually 30-60min), so that dyes evenly penetrate into each part.

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