Novel, Sustainable and Cost-effective Textile
Dyeing Techniques Using Nanocellulosic Fibers
Dye molecules
Nanocellulose
Fabric dyed with
nanocellulose
Nanocellulose team: Dr. Yunsang Kim, Raha Saremi (PhD student), Eliza Lee
(Department TMI), Lauren L. Tolbert (Undergraduate student).
Problem:
Conventional wet dyeing process generates large volumes of waste water, leading to
negative environmental impacts
Microfibrillated
cellulose
Nanocrystalline
cellulose
Goal:
This project will develop innovative fabric dyeing processes using colored
nanocellulose that permanently binds to textile surface, which will greatly reduce the
energy and water needed for textile dyeing
Work in progress:
fabrication of nanocellulose
synthesis of colored nanocellulose
kinetic study of dyeing process using nanocellulose
investigation of nanocellulose adhesion on various textile surfaces
0.20
Absorbance (arb. unit.)
•
•
•
•
CNC diluted to 1%
CNC diluted to 5%
NFC diluted to 1%
NFC diluted to 5%
0.15
0.10
dye exhaustion
> 95%
0.05
0.00
400
500
600
700
Wavelength (nm)
800