Tests of Composite Color Fastness to Light, Sweat and Chlorine of Swimwear Fabrics
Abstract: The color fastness to perspiration, color fastness to light, color fastness to sea water, color fastness to swimming pool water, and color fastness to light and sweat of 18 colors of polyester and brocade swimsuits composite colour fastness to light, sea water and pool water were tested. The effects of light, sweat and chlorine on fabrics of swimsuits were studied.
Preface
Color fastness refers to the resistance of the color of textiles to various effects during processing and use. In this regard, countries all over the world have started systematic research very early and have developed a relatively complete set of color fastness test method standards. As of 2005, there are more than 80 individual standards for ISO textile color fastness testing. However, the single-color fastness test can only characterize the color fastness of a certain aspect, and cannot reflect the color fastness of textiles under the comprehensive action of various actual conditions. In some special environments, such as swimming pool water or sea water and other chlorinated water conditions, the combined effect of light and sweat will cause the fading of textiles to be obvious, for example, swimsuits. The chlorine content of urban tap water in China is relatively high; the color fastness of chlorine in fabrics is also more prominent even in daily life.
Developed countries have begun to carry out research on the testing methods and product standards of textile color fastness under the action of two or more natural conditions, but there are not many research results. So far, there is no test method standard for combined colour fastness to perspiration, light and chlorine. Therefore, the research in this area can not only improve the detection standard of color fastness, but also has important practical significance.
Swimsuit fabrics of 18 colors made in China are selected, including brocade and polyester, according to GB/T 3922-1995 "Test Methods for Color Fastness of Textiles to Perspiration", GB8428-1987 "Test Methods of Color Fastness to Light of Textiles", GB/T 8433-1998 "Color Fastness to Chlorinated Water of Textiles (Swimming Pool Water)", GB/T 5714-1997 "Color Fastness of Textiles to Test of Color Fastness to Seawater", GB/T 14576-1993 "Test Methods for Composite Color Fastness of Textiles to Light and Perspiration", which tested and compared the effects of sunlight, perspiration, seawater and swimming pool water on the color fastness of these swimsuits of 18 colors.
1. Tests
1.1 Fabric
(1) Black, dark silver gray, green, dark pink, pink, red, light cyan polyester or ammonia
(2) Black, brown, dark silver gray, navy blue, lake blue, light blue, rose red, pink, orange, black b, light pink brocade or ammonia
1.2 Test rating
According to the standard, swimsuits with 18 kinds are rated for light fastness, perspiration fastness, sea water fastness and swimming pool water fastness. Ratings for combined colorfastness to perspiration, combined colorfastness to seawater and light, and combined colorfastness to swimming pool water and light. During the test, take a swimsuit and treat it with artificial sweat, seawater or swimming pool water and remove the excess test solution. Cover half of the sample with a shade, and put it in a light resistance tester; expose it to the specified time under a certain temperature and humidity. Take out the sample, and use the blue wool standard sample or the gray sample card to evaluate the fading degree of the sample.
2. Results and discussion
Acid sweat and alkali sweat have little effect on the color fastness of the swimsuit, and its acid sweat and alkali sweat fastness can generally reach grades 4 to 4.5. This is mainly because most swimsuit fabrics are dyed with dispersed dyes, weak acid dyes or neutral dyes, and the dyeing environment is acidic or neutral, while the pH value of acid sweat and alkali sweat is close to 7, which is a weak acid or weak base. Therefore, there is little impact on the fabric of the swimsuit.
In the rating process, it became obvious that the shade almost completely disappeared when the swimsuit was soaked in sweat. The composite color fastness mainly depends on the color fastness to light. In general, the color fastness to light is poor, and the color fastness to light and sweat is also poor. During the test, it was found that the pink polyester or spandex samples, as well as the light blue, rose red and pink brocade samples were abnormal, and the specific reasons need to be further studied.
The swimming pool water with 100 mg/L of available chlorine has a greater impact on the color fastness of swimsuits than that with 50 mg/L of available chlorine. This shows that the oxidation of sodium hypochlorite has an obvious effect on the color fastness of swimsuits. The composite color fastness to swimming pool water and light is generally determined by the poorer one of the color fastness to light and the color fastness to swimming pool water. If there is much available chlorine content, it will greatly degrade the spandex with poor quality, so that the spandex in the swimsuit fabric will dissolve a lot, which will not only cause the color fastness to decrease, but also make the strength of the swimsuit, which seriously affects the appearance of the fabric.
Seawater has little effect on the color fastness of swimsuit fabrics, but it also reduces shade on swimsuits. The composite color fastness to seawater and light is generally determined by the color fastness to light.
3. Conclusions
(1) Sweat stains and seawater have little effect on the color fastness of swimsuit fabrics, but they will reduce the shading of the fabrics.
(2) Swimming pool water has a great influence on the color fastness of swimsuit fabrics, and the degree of influence mainly depends on the content of effective chlorine in the swimming pool water. The higher the available chlorine content is, the greater the effect on color fastness becomes.
(3) Among the factors such as perspiration stain, sea water, swimming pool water and sun exposure, sun exposure had the greatest impact on color fastness.
(4) Compared with the swimsuit made of polyester or spandex, the color fastness of the nylon swimsuit is poorer under the same conditions; the color fastness of the light-colored fabric is better than that of the dark-colored fabric of the same composition. Blue and red dyes have poor color fastness.
Preface
Color fastness refers to the resistance of the color of textiles to various effects during processing and use. In this regard, countries all over the world have started systematic research very early and have developed a relatively complete set of color fastness test method standards. As of 2005, there are more than 80 individual standards for ISO textile color fastness testing. However, the single-color fastness test can only characterize the color fastness of a certain aspect, and cannot reflect the color fastness of textiles under the comprehensive action of various actual conditions. In some special environments, such as swimming pool water or sea water and other chlorinated water conditions, the combined effect of light and sweat will cause the fading of textiles to be obvious, for example, swimsuits. The chlorine content of urban tap water in China is relatively high; the color fastness of chlorine in fabrics is also more prominent even in daily life.
Developed countries have begun to carry out research on the testing methods and product standards of textile color fastness under the action of two or more natural conditions, but there are not many research results. So far, there is no test method standard for combined colour fastness to perspiration, light and chlorine. Therefore, the research in this area can not only improve the detection standard of color fastness, but also has important practical significance.
Swimsuit fabrics of 18 colors made in China are selected, including brocade and polyester, according to GB/T 3922-1995 "Test Methods for Color Fastness of Textiles to Perspiration", GB8428-1987 "Test Methods of Color Fastness to Light of Textiles", GB/T 8433-1998 "Color Fastness to Chlorinated Water of Textiles (Swimming Pool Water)", GB/T 5714-1997 "Color Fastness of Textiles to Test of Color Fastness to Seawater", GB/T 14576-1993 "Test Methods for Composite Color Fastness of Textiles to Light and Perspiration", which tested and compared the effects of sunlight, perspiration, seawater and swimming pool water on the color fastness of these swimsuits of 18 colors.
1. Tests
1.1 Fabric
(1) Black, dark silver gray, green, dark pink, pink, red, light cyan polyester or ammonia
(2) Black, brown, dark silver gray, navy blue, lake blue, light blue, rose red, pink, orange, black b, light pink brocade or ammonia
1.2 Test rating
According to the standard, swimsuits with 18 kinds are rated for light fastness, perspiration fastness, sea water fastness and swimming pool water fastness. Ratings for combined colorfastness to perspiration, combined colorfastness to seawater and light, and combined colorfastness to swimming pool water and light. During the test, take a swimsuit and treat it with artificial sweat, seawater or swimming pool water and remove the excess test solution. Cover half of the sample with a shade, and put it in a light resistance tester; expose it to the specified time under a certain temperature and humidity. Take out the sample, and use the blue wool standard sample or the gray sample card to evaluate the fading degree of the sample.
2. Results and discussion
Acid sweat and alkali sweat have little effect on the color fastness of the swimsuit, and its acid sweat and alkali sweat fastness can generally reach grades 4 to 4.5. This is mainly because most swimsuit fabrics are dyed with dispersed dyes, weak acid dyes or neutral dyes, and the dyeing environment is acidic or neutral, while the pH value of acid sweat and alkali sweat is close to 7, which is a weak acid or weak base. Therefore, there is little impact on the fabric of the swimsuit.
In the rating process, it became obvious that the shade almost completely disappeared when the swimsuit was soaked in sweat. The composite color fastness mainly depends on the color fastness to light. In general, the color fastness to light is poor, and the color fastness to light and sweat is also poor. During the test, it was found that the pink polyester or spandex samples, as well as the light blue, rose red and pink brocade samples were abnormal, and the specific reasons need to be further studied.
The swimming pool water with 100 mg/L of available chlorine has a greater impact on the color fastness of swimsuits than that with 50 mg/L of available chlorine. This shows that the oxidation of sodium hypochlorite has an obvious effect on the color fastness of swimsuits. The composite color fastness to swimming pool water and light is generally determined by the poorer one of the color fastness to light and the color fastness to swimming pool water. If there is much available chlorine content, it will greatly degrade the spandex with poor quality, so that the spandex in the swimsuit fabric will dissolve a lot, which will not only cause the color fastness to decrease, but also make the strength of the swimsuit, which seriously affects the appearance of the fabric.
Seawater has little effect on the color fastness of swimsuit fabrics, but it also reduces shade on swimsuits. The composite color fastness to seawater and light is generally determined by the color fastness to light.
3. Conclusions
(1) Sweat stains and seawater have little effect on the color fastness of swimsuit fabrics, but they will reduce the shading of the fabrics.
(2) Swimming pool water has a great influence on the color fastness of swimsuit fabrics, and the degree of influence mainly depends on the content of effective chlorine in the swimming pool water. The higher the available chlorine content is, the greater the effect on color fastness becomes.
(3) Among the factors such as perspiration stain, sea water, swimming pool water and sun exposure, sun exposure had the greatest impact on color fastness.
(4) Compared with the swimsuit made of polyester or spandex, the color fastness of the nylon swimsuit is poorer under the same conditions; the color fastness of the light-colored fabric is better than that of the dark-colored fabric of the same composition. Blue and red dyes have poor color fastness.
