AVCO-LEVELER GUT

LEVELLING AGENT FOR CATIONIC DYESTUFFS
AVCO-LEVELER GUT is a levelling agent for dyeing poly-acrylic fibres and its blends with cationic (basic) dyestuffs, modified with an anti-percipitant.

SPECIFICATION:

Appearance Clear, colourless liquid.
Chemical nature Combination of quaternary ammonium compound with nonionic surfactant in aqueous solution.
Compatibility
  1. Compatible with cationic and nonionic products.
  2. Check in the laboratory the compatibility with anionic products.
Ionicity Cationic
pH (10% sol.) 7 ± 1
Solubility Miscible with water at any ratio.
Stability to: Acids, Alkalis, Electrolytes, Water- hardness Good under the conditions normally encountered in textile dyeing
Storage Freezes below O°C, fully usable after thawing.Shelf life is 12 months at least.

PROPERTIES & USES:

  1. High levelling power towards cationic dyestuffs.
  2. Maximum migration.
  3. Maximum colour yield.
  4. AVCO-LEVELER GUT does not block dye-sites, and therefore does not prevent
    receptivity.
  5. AVCO-LEVELER GUT overcomes differences in the dye-affinity caused by variation
    in the fibres.
  6. AVCO-LEVELER GUT contains in its composition an anti-precipitant, which can
    overcome problems in dyeing poly-acrylic fibre blends with polyamide or
    cellulosic fibres.

APPLICATION:

A. DYEING OF ACRYLIC FIBRES:
  1. Set dye bath at 60°C, and add chemicals in the following order:
    • Acetic Acid to adjust pH at: 4-4.5
    • Sodium sulphate according to instructions of dyestuff manufacturer.
    • AVCO-LEVELER GUT – 0.5 – 3% o.w.g.
    • Cationic dyestuff pre-dissolved in hot water with Acetic Acid or special solubilizer.

  2. Bring to the boil at 45-60 minutes, and run for 45-90 minutes, or dye at 106°C for 30-45 minutes.
  3. Cool down to 70°C and drop bath.
  4. Softening can be done with AVCOSOFT NE (1-3% o.w.g.), while dyeing, or in the cooling down process or in a separate bath after dyeing.
  5. Dosage (depends on saturation factor of dyestuff)
    % Dyestuff below 0.5 0.5 – 1.0 1.0 – 2.0 2.0 – 3.0 3.0 – 5.0%
    % AVCO-LEVELER GUT 2.5 – 3.0 2.0 – 2.5 1.5 – 2.0 1.0 – 1.5 0.5 – 1 %

    The concentrations mentioned above should be reduced by 30% for fibers with saturation factor of 1.5 or below.

B. CORRECTION OF UN-LEVEL DYEING:
Treat at the boil or at 105-108°C for 1-2 hours with:
AVCO-LEVELER GUT 3 – 5%
sodium sulphate 10 – 20%
Dye from original recipe X%
Adjust pH to 4-4.5 with Acetic Acid
C. DYEING OF ACRYLIC BLENDS:
  1. Dyeing Acrylic / cotton
    Use the following recipe:
    Cationic dyestuff Y%
    sodium sulphate (Glauber salt) 5 – 10%
    AVCO LEVELER GUT 3 – 1% (3% for light shades, 1% for dark shades)
    Adjust pH to 4-4.5 with acetic acid.
    • Set dye bath at 40°C with Glauber salt and acetic acid. Run for 5 min.
    • Add AVCO-LEVELER GUT and run for 5 min.
    • Add dyes pre-dissolved with acetic acid over 10 min.
    • Heat to 105°C (20C/min up to 80°C and 10C/min to 105°C) and run for 30 min. (It is possible to dye also at 98°C for 60 min).
    • Cool down to 70°C and rinse (overflow).
    • Check shade carefully!
    • Drop bath.
    • If needed clean staining of cotton with AVCO-LEVOLUZE 200, apply 1 gr/l at 70°C for 15 min and drop bath.
    • Continue to dye the cotton. Cold reactive dyes are preferred (up to 60°C).
    • Wash off with AVCORON HWF, apply 1 g/l at 800C for 15 min.
    • Softening is done with AVCOSOFT NE or AVCO SUPERSOFT H (1-3%).
  2. Dyeing Acrylic / Polyamide
    Use the following dyeing recipe:
    AVCO LEVELER GUT X %
    Cationic dyestuff Y %
    Anionic dyestuff Z %
    Sodium sulphate (Glauber salt) 10 %
    Adjust to pH 4-4.5 with acetic acid.
    Following are two possible processes:
    One bath, one stage method (light to medium shades)
    • a.Set bath at 40°C, add AVCO LEVELER GUT Glauber salt and acetic acid run for 10 min., then add the pre dissolved anionic dyestuff and run for a further 5 min., before adding the cationic dyestuff.
    • Raise temperature at 1°C/min. to 80°C and run for 15 min. to exhaust the anionic dyestuff onto the polyamide component.
    • Continue to raise temperature at 0.5-1.0°C/min. to 98°C, and dye for 45-60 min. to exhaust the cationic dyestuff onto the acrylic fibres.
    • Cool down slowly to 60-70°C and overflow rinse.
    • If required, softening can be carried out in the dyeing bath while cooling down with AVCOSOFT NE (1-3% o.w.g)
      This procedure is suitable for pale to medium shades, but for dark shades it may be advisable to
    proceed as follows:
    One bath, two stage method (dark shades)
    • Proceed as above, but do not add the cationic dye at the beginning. Raise to 70°C (at 1.5°C/min) and run for 10 min. to exhaust the anionic dye as far as possible.
    • Raise to 100°C by 1°C/min and run for 30 min.
    • Cool slowly to 70°C and add cationic dyestuffs (pre-dissolved and sieved), over 10-15 min. Continue dyeing as in steps #c – #e above.
  3. Dyeing Acrylic / wool
    The methods for Acrylic / Polyamide blends are also suitable for this blend.