FASTNESS AND FADING CHARACTERISTICS OF MANGO LEAVES EXTRACTED DYE ON FABRICS EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT IN A DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED FRAME
*1 Akpan, E. A., 2Ikya, J.K.
1Department of Home Science & Management, University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
2Department of Food Science and Tech, University of Agriculture, Makurdi
Email: akpanefiong77@gmail.com; *1 Corresponding author:
ABSTRACT
In this study, a dye was extracted from mango leaves and the solution obtained was deep yellow but turned light brown when a mordant (alum) was added to it. The two solutions – one containing alum and the other without alum were each tested on their ability to imprint colour on the cotton and wool fabrics. The cotton dyed fabrics (one without alum and the other with alum) were thereafter exposed to sunlight using the exposure frame (designed and constructed sensor instrument) for 40 hours to detect and evaluate the fastness and fading capacity of the dyes. The result revealed that the solution of the dyes without alum (deep yellow) turned the cotton fabric creamy with no significant change in colour after 40 hours of exposure in the designed and constructed exposure frame. This instrument confirmed that the creamy colour on the fabric was indication of its fastness to sunlight and suitability as dye for cotton fabric. The solution with Alum (light brown) turned the cotton fabric lemon green but after exposure to sunlight in an exposure frame there was a significant change and the colour was lost. This indicated fading and the inability of the dye to be applied on cotton favric when alum is usd as a mordant. In dyed wool fabric exposed for 40 hours to sunlight, all lost their colours indicating the unsuitability of the mango dye on wool with or without mordant. The exposure frame was able to determine the suitability of mango dyes for cotton fabric without mordant and unsuitability of the dye for wool fabrics
