Getting Familiar With VAT Dye

One of the most important inventions in the fields of textile dyes that were made in the 20th Century was vat dye. These chemically complex, water insoluble dyes need to be first reduced to the leuco form by dissolving them in an alkaline solution of sodium hydrosulfite, before they can be used for coloring various materials. The production process of these dyes is quite complex, mainly due to their complex chemical structures. That is why even though these indigo based, dyes form one of the most ancient class of dyes, they now are largely produced synthetically to meet industry requirements.


Vat dyes have a unique working mechanism and are suitable for coloring a wide range of materials including, cotton, wool and other fabrics. However, the application of VAT dye is much more complex as compared to direct dyes or reactive dyes. The process is a combination of several smaller processes including oxidation, reduction, pH control etc. It is also important to be aware of the right quantities of caustic soda and sodium hydrosulfite required for the proper reduction of the dyestuff.


These dyes are generally sold in the form of pigments. It is necessary for the buyers to be aware of the dissolution and other coloring related properties of these dyes, as these characteristics can be easily affected by the particle size of the dye. The dyeing properties might also be affected by the different chemical structures of the dyes, which also play an important role in determining the stability of the dye towards excessive reduction and excessive oxidation, its substantivity as well as its rate of diffusion into and out of the target material.


It is possible to get vast shades of bright colors with the help of dyes. These dyes are also washfast and lightfast and it is rare to find these properties in any other class of dyes. The one drawback that these dyes suffer from is slightly poor rubbing fastness, which can be controlled by applying special treatment to the target material. However, Vat dye is not considered suitable for use for home dyers as they are slightly difficult to work with. Irrespective of that, these dyes are preferred for dyeing specific types of industrial yarns, terry cloth, industrial work clothing and shirting fabrics. Moreover, they are the only dyes that do not exhibit any serious changes in shade when exposed to topical, cellulose reactive and flame retardant finishes.

Understanding The Properties, Limitations And Applications Of Basic Dye

Basic dyes belong to a category of dyes, which are usually synthetic in nature and basically from the family of aniline dyes. Since they are positively charged, they generally bind with the cytoplasm of all bacterial cells, which when reared in a medium with nearly neutral pH, tend to attain a slightly negative charge. Even though the color base of basic dye is not soluble in water, it can be made so by transforming the base color into a salt. The fact that basic dyes are cationic or positively charged is largely responsible for their great binding with materials that possess a negative charge.


Generally basic dyes are considered to be easy to use and can be utilized in a wide variety of dyeing and printing tasks. The fact that a basic dye provides high tinctorial strength and possesses moderate substantivity is significantly responsible for their immense popularity as dyeing agents. In addition, these dyes offer a wide range of shades to choose from and besides being extremely bright are also relatively economical. Another major reason for the immense popularity of these dyes is that they include some of the most exceptional synthetic dyes used in various industries.


However, despite the immense popularity and widespread usage of basic dyes, they suffer from certain drawbacks. The fact that these dyes provide poor shade stability and have a very poor lightfastness, makes them perfect for use only on specific materials. These dyes also have a high acidic content making them toxic enough to cause serious health and safety hazards if handled carelessly. Additionally, the dyes also suffer from the drawbacks of colored backwaters and preferential dyeing, which makes them unsuitable for use on most materials.


Basic dyes are extensively used in the textile industry for dyeing acrylic fibers. These dyes are also used for dyeing leather and in the coloration of paper. Additionally, basic dyes are a popular choice for use in hand-painting on acrylic fiber, mainly because they are bright in color and exhibit a washfast property, when used on acrylic. They are also used for permanent dying of containers, sinks, counters, floors, and wide range of other materials. However, they are not used by beginners and even a large number of experts refrain from using these dyes primarily because of their hazardous nature.

Learning About The Basic Properties Of Sodium Nitrite

Sodium nitrite is a stable, odorless compound having a molecular weight of 69.00. This sodium salt of nitrous acid is pale yellow or straw colored and is available in either the form of dry granules, flakes and even water solutions. The compound needs to be handled carefully while using, storing or even shipping it from one destination to another mainly because it is an oxidizer and toxic in nature.


Sodium Nitrite is generally produced for industrial use by making the oxides of nitrogen to get absorbed into sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide solutions. The sodium nitrite solution produced by this method is then concentrated to produce slurry of crystals acquired by using the conventional evaporation and crystallization equipments. To separate the crystals form the original liquid, the centrifugation technique is generally used. Once the crystals have been separated, they are dries and treated with an anti-caking agent to ensure that they remain in the free-flowing form. The other methods of producing the compound involve various chemical reactions carried out with the aim of reducing sodium nitrate to yield sodium nitrite.


In its pure form, anhydrous Sodium nitrite has a specific gravity of 2.168 at 0ºC/0°C. The melting point of the compound is 284°C while it starts to decompose when the temperature goes beyond 320°C, to release N2O2, NO, and Na2O. Within the temperature range of 158–165°C, the physical properties of sodium nitrite undergo a significant change. The compound, in addition to being water soluble, also possesses hygroscopic properties. Sodium nitrite displays a stable nature in alkaline solutions but when exposed to acidic solutions, the compound releases unstable nitrous acid. The compound serves as a primary source of nitrous acid, used for organic synthesis.


When exposed to atmospheric oxygen, sodium nitrite oxidizes spontaneously to form the brown-colored compound named nitrogen-dioxide. The compound can convert ammonium ion to nitrogen, urea to carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and sulfamate to sulfate and nitrogen which makes it a good oxidizing agent. This makes it perfect for use in various industries including manufacturing of dye, rubber chemicals and pharmaceuticals, as a corrosion inhibitor, in heat treating and heat-transfer salts, in meat curing, and several other applications.


Royce is a fully diversified international company which was founded in 1929 to manufacture chemicals for textile industry. Today more than 80 years later, they have a resounding presence across the world and offer solution to diverse needs of chemicals to their customers which also include sodium nitrite.

What All You Should Know About Epoxy Paint

What makes Epoxy paints truly exceptional is their ability to take the beating and still look amazingly good. Whether it’s parking decks, factories, garages or commercial floors, epoxy coating can make any high traffic area look great without any maintenance. The tough epoxy paints are also resistant to chemicals, grease, acids and solvents along with being versatile. Marine epoxies are high performance paints that can provide resistance against corrosive seawater.


However, concrete and metal are the most common surfaces where epoxy coating are applied and the finishing depends on preparation and application techniques. Properly prepared mixture displays superb adhesion whether it is applied by brush, roller or trowel.


Epoxy coating consist of two parts-the base and the curing agent. While storing, these two are kept separate and mixed minutes before the paint is to be applied. The secret of a lustrous and lasting finish lies in the curing process.


After you mix the two together, you have to apply the paint quickly before it dries to the extent that it is rendered useless for further use. Often referred as pot life, the drying time can range from anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Drying process between the coatings is called curing and an epoxy application with several coats may take numerous days to fully cure.

The final finish of the epoxy coating is decided by the curing process which should take recommended time in order to be durable and tough. However, in case the curing time is stretched beyond the fixed time, the quality of final finish will suffer.


Ideally, Epoxy paints should be applied within close temperature range of 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with 65 to 70 degrees taken as perfect applicant temperature. The pot life and curing gets adversely affected when temperature is outside of this range.


Moisture is another important factor that affects the application process. Not only the surface needs to be absolutely dry but atmospheric humidity should also be average. Curing process slows down when the humidity is high but certain additives when added to the mixture allow the paint to be applied in high atmospheric humidity without any damage to the final finish.


Royce is a fully diversified international company which was founded in 1929 to manufacture chemicals for textile industry. Today more than 80 years later, they have a resounding presence across the world and offer solution to diverse needs of chemicals to their customers which also include epoxy. For detailed information, logon to http://www.royceintl.com

Plastic Dye – Adding Color To The Prosperity Of Plastic Industry

It is well known fact that proper color schemes and right shades play a vital role in enhancing the beauty of any object. That is why manufacturers of industrial as well as consumer products lay a lot of stress on using the right kind of dyes that will make their products attractive and eye catching. Over the years the use of plastic in various manufacturing process has increased tremendously and there is an unending demand of the wide range of plastic products that can be put to numerous uses in everyday life. In such a scenario, plastic product manufactures try to make their merchandise more striking for customers, by using a wide variety of plastic dye.

In the plastic industry, perfect color forms an integral aspect of every product and hence has to be chosen with considerable attention. The choice of color not only depends on the end use of the product but also upon the impact of the color on the product being manufactured. Most often manufacturers are unaware of the negative effects that the wrong choice of color can have on the overall, strength and durability of the plastic product.

Generally, dyes and pigments are the most common types of colorants used in the plastic industry. Even though both these colorants use the technique of visible light absorption and scattering, to impart color to the target object, there is a limited use of dyes in the plastic industry mainly because of the fact that the dyes used in this industry need to be strong, show good heat stability and be transparent. Plastic dye is the most common type of dye that is used for coloring plastics. These solvent based dyes can be used for coloring a wide range of materials including acetates, nylon, polyester, acrylics, PVC, PMMA, PETP, polystyrene and styrene monomers.

The choice of using a dye or a pigment to impart color to a plastic product largely depends on the type of base polymer being used for manufacturing the product. While pigments are a preferred choice for coloring polyolefins, dyes are primarily used for imparting color to polycarbonate, polystyrene, acrylic, and other types of polymers, mainly because they exhibit great color strength and transparency. Another important and decisive factor in choosing the coloring agent is its compatibility with the base resin, which ensures the prevention of a color shift over the time.

Royce is a fully diversified international company which was founded in 1929 to manufacture chemicals for textile industry. Today more than 80 years later, they have a resounding presence across the world and offer solution to diverse needs of chemicals to their customers which also include Plastic dye. For detailed information, logon to http://www.royceintl.com

Why Good Specialty Chemicals Manufacturer is Imperative For Your Business

If you have been manufacturing products that require specialty chemicals, you probably understand the importance of sourcing them from good companies. Good quality chemicals enhance the quality of your products, making them safer, cleaner and more effective. In fact, the success of any manufacturer depends, to a very large extent, on the supplier from whom they outsource their raw material. Here are a few things that you need to look out for when searching for reliable manufacturer.

Safety Standards

One thing that you should ensure while choosing a speciality chemicals manufacturer is stringent safety measures. They should not only be committed towards the safety of its employees but also the environment and public at large.


The best way to determine the standard of quality management systems is to interview the manufacturer and ask if they adhere to ISO standards of safety. One way to find it out is to check active programmes for employee safety and healthy work environment. Along with that, look for certification that authenticates that company’s operations and chemical processes do not have a negative impact on the environment.


Check if the company is willing to add safety compliance in contract wherein it ensures that it will stick to governmental regulations. All reputable companies maintain an open book policy that allows clients, employees and local communities to discuss safety protocols and clean up measures. You can also verify REACH compliance (registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals) to ensure the safety repertoire of specialty chemicals manufacturer you intend to work with.

Chemical Applications

You should also look for well-diversified chemical applications and processes before you settle for a chemical manufacturer. Don’t hesitate to ask if they can provide products from a few hundred kilos to a few thousand tonnes. The skill and experience of a manufacturer can be gauged by the fact that they can manufacture viscous products as well as isolate and dry components them if they were in flammable solvents. Only a good manufacturer has the equipment and expertise to handle exothermic reactions of chemical processes.


Make sure that Specialty Chemicals Company you choose has facilities with centrifuges, reactors, and dryers along with enough storage capabilities to meet your chemical manufacturing needs. Having modern lab facility for testing is another important aspect that cannot be ignored.


Royce is a fully diversified international company which was founded in 1929 to manufacture chemicals for textile industry. Today more than 80 years later, they have a resounding presence across the world and offer solution to diverse needs of chemicals to their customers including speciality chemicals. For detailed information, logon to http://www.royceintl.com

Polymer Colorant - Learning Some Basic Facts

Plastic is undoubtedly one of the most important inventions of human history, which has become an integral part of our everyday lives. The term plastic is generally used for a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic products created as a result of polymerization and having the basic property of plasticity. However, most often plastics contain other substances or additives which help in enhancing some of their basic properties such as their stiffness, strength, resistance to heat and flame or even resistance to electricity. Polymer colorant is one of the several additives used and serves the specific purpose of imparting color to plastics.


The colorants used with plastics are primarily of two types, namely organic colorants also known as dyes and inorganic colorants also known as pigments. Generally, the choice of the type of polymer colorant that would be most suitable for the plastic depends on the amount of light that the plastic is exposed to and the service temperature of the plastic. Since pigments show a greater resistance to both temperature and light they are used for dying plastics that are more likely to be used in high temperature areas where they are also constantly exposed to light. Other important factors that need to be considered during the choice of a colorant for plastics are their applications, level of colorfastness and reaction to base plastic material.


Today, through the use of a proper combination of polymer colorant system, it is possible to add special effects to the appearance of plastic. That is why it is now possible to find plastic that have a metallic, pearlescent, stone and fleck and even thermo-chromatic and photo-chromatic appearance. It is also vital to use the right colorant system to ensure greater efficiency of the plastic end product. For example using colorant systems that provide little or no X-ray opacity for plastics intended to be used in medical applications, can render the end products useless for such purposes. As such it is vital to pre-determine the end use of the plastic prior to choosing the most suitable coloring option for it. Similarly, in plastics that are used for manufacturing toys or items for household use, the brightness and safety takes prominence over other factors.