Relationship between the solubility of disperse dyes and the equilibrium dye adsorption in supercritical fluid dyeing

In order to understand the dyeing behaviour of synthetic fibres in supercritical carbon dioxide, the solubility of some disperse dyes in supercritical fluid, as well as the rate of dyeing and the equilibrium adsorption of these dyes, have been studied. Dye solubility was measured by a dynamic analytic method at a range of pressure (7.5–25 MPa) and temperature (50–145 °C). The apparent rate of dyeing was measured and the dyeing isotherm was obtained by plotting the equilibrium dye adsorption against the equilibrium dyebath concentration. Linear isotherms were obtained when poly(ethylene terephthalate) samples were dyed with the disperse dyes. The mechanism of dyeing using supercritical carbon dioxide was discussed by considering the solubility, the dyeing rate and the dyeing isotherm.