Research Paper

Natural Product Radiance, Vol. 7(1), 2008, pp.40-44

Dyeing of silk with barberry bark dye

using mordant combination
Neelam Pruthi*, Geeta D Chawla and Saroj Yadav
Department of Clothing and Textiles
College of Home Science
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, Haryana, India
*Correspondent author, E-mail: neelam_pruthi@yahoo.co.in
Phone: 01662-244459, Mob-9354998441; Address: 165-Sector 15A, Hisar-125 001
Received 5 September 2006; Accepted 6 September 2007

Abstract
Barberry bark (Berberis aristata DC.) dye was used for dyeing of degummed pure silk
yarn using four selected mordants: alum, chrome, copper sulphate and ferrous sulphate in different
ratio i.e. 1:1, 1:3 and 3:1. For dyeing optimized condition used were: wave length-410 nm, dye
extraction time-60 min, medium of extraction-aqueous, dye material concentration- 8%, dyeing
time-45 min and pH of dyeing solution-4.0. Mordant concentration and mordanting techniques
were also optimized. Analysis of fastness properties revealed that alum + chrome, alum + ferrous
sulphate and chrome + ferrous sulphate in 1:3 ratio and alum + copper sulphate and chrome +
copper sulphate in 3:1 ratio showed the best fastness properties with post mordanting technique.
The dyed samples possess very good to excellent fastness. Improvement in brightness was observed
on exposing the samples to sunlight, washing and perspiration fastness tests. Large range of shades
was obtained. The mordant which was in high proportion dominated the shade.

technique to mordanting technique. It is

also reported that wide range of tints and
shades can be developed using
combination of mordants with apricot leaf
dye and use of various mordants in
printing with marigold flower dye produce
different colours3-5. However, effect of
mordant combination on silk dyeing with
barberry bark, Berberis aristata DC.
dye, investigated in the present study, has
not been reported earlier.

Keywords: Barberry bark, Berberis aristata, Natural dye, Mordant, Silk yarn.

Materials and Methods

IPC code; Int. cl.8 C09B 61/00, D06 P1/34

Introduction
Synthetic dyes are produced at
high temperature and pressure from
chemicals isolated from petroleum
derivatives. During the manufacturing
process of dyes many carcinogenic
chemicals are used which leads to
formation of toxic by-products. These byproducts are discharged in the rivers,
ponds or left in open. Hence, cause severe,
water and atmospheric pollution1. This
has threatened the ecological balance and
called attention of the environmentalists
to develop eco-friendly technologies to
produce dyes from natural resources.
Natural dyes have better biodegradability
and generally higher compatibility with
the environment. They are non-toxic, non40

allergic and non-carcinogenic as these are

obtained from animals or vegetable
matters without chemical processes.
Natural dyes are generally used in
combination with mordants which have
affinity for both colouring matter and the
fibre, hence by combining them with the
dye they form an insoluble precipitate on
the fabric2.
With the help of mordants
different colours and its tones can be
obtained from a single dye source. Various
studies have been carried out by different
scientists on effect of mordants and
mordanting techniques but very little work
has been done on mordant combinations.
It is reported that colour depth vary from
mordant to mordant and mordanting

Barberry bark was collected from

Morni hills, Panchkula, Haryana, dried in
shade and ground to make powder. Pure
silk yarn was dyed with 6 combinations
of already selected four mordants, viz.
Alum + Chrome, Alum + Copper sulphate,
Alum + Ferrous sulphate, Chrome +
Copper sulphate, Chrome + Ferrous
sulphate and Copper sulphate + Ferrous
sulphate. Degumming of silk fibre was
done to remove the sericine under
standard conditions. Mordant
concentration and mordanting techniques
were standardized. Optimized conditions
for silk dyeing with barberry bark dye were:
wave length (410 nm), dye extraction time
(60 min), medium of extraction
(aqueous) and dye material concentration
(8%), dyeing time (45 min) and pH of
dyeing solution (4.0).
Natural Product Radiance

Research Paper
Results and Discussion
Optimization of mordanting
technique
The data regarding optimization
of mordanting method of silk dyeing
with barberry bark (Table 1) reflected that
alum when used with chrome and copper
sulphate in the ratio of 1:1, ferrous
sulphate in ratio of 3:1 gave maximum
dye absorption with simultaneous
mordanting method. Chrome + copper
sulphate (3:1), chrome + ferrous
sulphate (3:1) and copper sulphate +
ferrous sulphate (1:1) combination

shown that there was maximum dye

absorption with simultaneous mordanting
method. Thus, it can be inferred from
Table 1 that on dyeing silk with Barberry
bark using various mordant combinations
and adopting simultaneous mordanting
method gave maximum dye absorption
values and alum improved the dye
absorption. It is already reported that
based on the per cent dye absorption,
alum was found to be the best as
compared to ferrous sulphate and
chrome6.

Table 1 : Optimization of mordanting method

S.
Combination
No. of mordants

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Alum + Chrome

Alum + Copper sulphate

Alum + Ferrous sulphate

Chrome+ Copper sulphate

Chrome + Ferrous sulphate

Copper sulphate + Ferrous sulphate

Mordant
ratio

Per cent dye absorption

Pre

Simul

Post

1: 1

32.40

48.18

29.54

1: 3

24.53

37.62

29.54

3: 1

32.40

47.85

29.54

1: 1

35.18

41.25

29.54

1: 3

31.10

31.35

29.54

3: 1

31.94

40.92

29.54

1: 1

23.14

37.29

29.54

1: 3

24.53

37.29

29.54

3: 1

25.46

41.25

29.54

1: 1

23.14

43.56

29.54

1: 3

18.05

26.07

29.54

3: 1

27.31

47.19

29.54

1: 1

23.61

35.64

29.54

1: 3

12.50

36.63

29.54

3: 1

24.53

38.61

29.54

1: 1

17.59

34.98

29.54

1: 3

20.37

31.68

29.54

3: 1

20.37

30.69

29.54

Pre = Pre mordanting, Simul = Simultaneous mordanting, Post = Post mordanting

Vol 7(1) January-February 2008

Fastness properties of dyed samples

Data pertaining to fastness
properties revealed that silk dyed with
barberry bark dye using alum and chrome
mordants in combination had very good
colour fastness against sunlight (4/5) and
rubbing (4/5 to 5) whereas it was very
poor when subjected to washing. Fastness
grades for perspiration tests depicted that
colours were moderately fast (2-4). It was
further analysed by the mean score (Fig.1)
that fastness properties of the samples
dyed with 1:3 ratio was best with all the
three mordanting methods i.e. pre,
simultaneous and post mordanting.
Data regarding fastness of
barberry bark dyed silk with alum and
copper sulphate combination revealed
that colours were very fast to sunlight
(4/5) and rubbing (4/5 to 5) whereas
washing fastness was very poor as it was
in the range of (1/2 to 4/5). Perspiration
fastness tests showed that colours were
moderately fast as these ranged from 2 to
4/5. However, the aggregated score
revealed that combination in 3:1 ratio with
pre mordanting, 1:1 ratio with
simultaneous and 1:3 ratio with post
mordanting method gave best fastness
properties (Fig. 2).
Fastness properties of barberry
bark dyed silk with combination of alum
and ferrous sulphate mordants highlighted
that colours were fast against sunlight(4/
5) whereas colours were assessed to be
moderately fast when subjected to rubbing
(3 to 4/5) and alkaline perspiration (3/4
to 4) tests. Washing and acidic
perspiration tests revealed that there was
very much change in colour (1/2 to 2),
hence fastness was recorded as poor. On
an average it was observed that (Fig. 3)
3:1 ratio showed best fastness properties
41

Research Paper

5
4.21
4

Fastness Grades

with pre and post mordanting method and

with simultaneous mordanting method,
1:3 ratio was found best.
From the data pertaining to
fastness properties of the dyed silk yarn
using chrome and copper sulphate
mordants, it was found that fastness
was very good against sunlight (4 to 4/5)
and rubbing (4/5 to 5) whereas it
was moderately fast to alkaline
perspiration (3 to 4/5). Washing fastness
and acidic perspiration grades were
found to be poor as these ranged from

3.6

3.89

3.85

3.67

3.82

3.57
3.35
3

0
1:

1P

re

1:

3P

re
3:

1P

re
1:

1S

im

ul
1:

3S

im

ul
3:

1S

im

ul
1:

1P

os

t
1:

3P

os

t
3:

1P

os

Mordant Ratio and Mordanting Method

Fig. 1 : Fastness properties of barberry bark dyed silk

with combination of alum+chrome mordant
5

Fastness Grades

3.82

3.78
3.5

3.57

3.53

3.5

3.78

3.53

3.53

0
1:

1P

re

1:

3P

re
3:

1P

re
1
1:

Si

ul
3
1:

Si

ul
1
3:

Si

ul
1:

1P

os

t
1:

3P

os

t
3:

1P

os

Mordant Ratio and Mordanting Method

Fig. 2 : Fastness properties of barberry bark dyed silk

with combination of alum + copper sulphate mordant
Barberry plant
Fastness Grades

4
3.1

3.17

3.1

3.35

3.23

3.1

3.39

3.32

3.1

0
1:

1P

re

1:

3P

re
3:

1P

re
1
1:

Si

ul
3
1:

Si

ul
1
3:

Si

ul
1:

1P

os

t
1:

3P

os

t
3:

1P

os

Mordant Ratio and Mordanting Method

Barberry bark

42

Fig. 3 : Fastness properties of barberry bark dyed silk

with combination of alum + ferrous sulphate mordant
Natural Product Radiance

Research Paper
5

Fastness Grades

4
3.53

3.5

3.57

3.5

3.46

3.78

3.53

3.77

3.64

0
1:

1P

re

1:

3P

re
3:

1P

re
1:

1S

im

ul
1:

3S

im

ul
3:

1S

im

ul
1:

1P

os

t
1:

3P

os

t
3:

1P

os

Mordant Ratio and Mordanting Method

Fig. 4 : Fastness properties of barberry bark dyed silk

with combination of chrome + copper sulphate mordant

Fastness Grades

4
3.53

3.5

3.77

3.71

3.71

3.53

3.5

3.5

3.32
3

0
1:

1P

re

1:

3P

re

3:

1P

re
1
1:

Si

ul
3
1:

Si

ul
1
3:

Si

ul
1:

1P

os

t
1:

3P

os

t
3:

1P

os

Mordant Ratio and Mordanting Method

Fig. 5 : Fastness properties of barberry bark dyed silk

with combination of chrome + ferrous sulphate mordant

Fastness Grades

4
3.25

3.42

3.25

3.32

3.28

3.57

3.53

3.28

3.53

1/2 to 4. The mean score related to

fastness properties (Fig. 4) further
highlighted that 1:1 ratio was found best
with pre and post mordanting methods
whereas in case of simultaneous
mordanting method 1:3 ratio gave best
fastness grades.
Data regarding barberry bark dyed
silk with chrome + ferrous sulphate
combination revealed that colours were
found very fast against sunlight (4/5 to 5)
and rubbing (4 to 5) tests. In case of
alkaline perspiration test grades were
found moderately fast (3 to 4/5). Washing
fastness and acidic perspiration tests
depicted that it was very poor. On
summarizing the data it was analysed that
3:1 ratio gave best fastness properties with
all the three mordanting methods
(Fig. 5).
Fastness grades of barberry bark
dyed silk using copper suphate + ferrous
sulphate mordant combination elucidated
that colour fastness against sunlight (4 to
4/5) and rubbing (4 to 5) was good
whereas it was found to be moderately
fast against alkaline perspiration (3 to 4).
Washing fastness and acidic perspiration
tests revealed that fastness was poor as
these ranged from 1/2 to 3/4. While
reviewing of overall fastness properties
(Fig. 6) it was found that 1:3 ratio was
assessed best with simultaneous and post
mordanting methods, whereas 3:1 ratio
was adjudged best with pre mordanting
method.

Conclusion

0
1:

e
Pr

1:

e
Pr

3:

e
Pr
1:

1S

im

ul
1:

3S

im

ul
3:

1S

im

ul
1:

1P

t
os
1:

3P

t
os
3:

1P

st

Mordant Ratio and Mordanting Method

Fig. 6 : Fastness properties of barberry bark dyed silk with combination of

copper sulphate + ferrous sulphate mordant
Vol 7(1) January-February 2008

It is observed from the results

that there was slight improvement in
fastness properties when combination of
mordants was used as compared to
single mordant; and shades obtained were
43

Research Paper
brighter and deeper in comparison with
single mordant. Large range of shades was
obtained and the mordant which was in
high proportion dominated the shade. On
the basis of this study it can be concluded
that: (i) silk must be dyed using
simultaneous mordanting method as it
gave maximum dye absorption; (ii) alum
improved the dye absorption so it should
be used in combination with other
mordants; (iii) to obtain variation in
shades mordants should be used in
different combinations; and (iv) the ratio
of the mordant should be selected as per

44

cotton with Adula, Manmade Text India,

1997, 40(9), 361-369.

the shade/tint required as high proportion

of mordant dominates the shade.
4.

Sharma A, Bansal A and Sood A, Application

of apricot leaf dye on wool and cotton yarns
using combination of mordants, Text India
Progr, July, 2005, pp.19-20.

5.

Aggarwal R, Pruthi N and Singh SSJ, Effect of

mordants on printing with Marigold
flower dye, Nat Prod Rad, 2007, 6(4),
306-309.

6.

Phukon AR and Phukon R, A study on

standardization of condition of dyeing with
bark of Garcinia xanthochymus on silk
yarn, Text Trends, 2003, 45(10), 39-43.

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