Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the effect of mordants on the dyeability colorfastness to light and to laundering and biological properties of mordanted and natural-dyed cotton and silk substrates. Natural red dyes were extracted from Caesalpinia Sappan L. (Sappan wood) and Rubia Akane Nakai (Madder) by boil water Five different compounds of Al, Cr, Cu, Fe and Sn were used as mordanting agents. The result of this study are sumarized as follows ; 1. In the of the fabrics mordanted and dyed with sappan wood K/S value increases and λmax shifts to the longer wavelength as mordant concentration increases. Color of the fabrics dyed with sappan wood and madder change to redder bluer and lighter after mordanting. 2. As the number of repetition of dyeing-mordnating process increase the color of the dyed fabrics tend to be redder bluer and darker. Mordanted dyes with Al and Sn make chroma increase. The quantity of mordant absorbed in the silk fabric increase as mordant concentration increase. More Fe is absorbed in silk than Cr is. 3. After being exposed to light the fabrics dyed with sappan wood and madder change to less red Fe and Cu mordanting yeild better colorfastness to light than others does. Natural-dyed fabrics exposed to light tend to be faded and whitened in CIELAB chromaticity co-ordinates. So we might trace back the original color of ancient faded fabrics by changes in color of natural dyes. 4. After washing the colors of natural dyes change to more blue, Fe and Cu mordanting give better colorfastness to wash than others do. 5. The soil-burial cotton is more susceptible to mildew and rot than the silk is. Antimicrobial activity of the natural-dyed cotton can be enhanced by Cu and silk can be enhanced by Cu and Cr mordanting respectively.