Electrochemical pigment coloring of wool fabrics

Green processing technology has been examined extensively in the area of textile coloring, because it is usually highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and energy conserving. Herein, a novel pigment coloring technology by electrochemical modification of wool fabric surfaces is reported. This technology exhibits superior color properties with higher efficiency and lower energy and chemical consumption than the conventional cationic pretreatment coloring method. The pigment-colored wool fabric was characterized to investigate its surface morphology and roughness, K/S value, and rubbing fastness (dry and wet) under a variety of experimental conditions. The mechanism of electrochemical pigment coloring technology has been revealed, and the color properties of the fabrics have been fully investigated. Optimized technological parameters, including voltage, coloring time, and electrolyte concentration, have been determined for further application of this promising technology. Electrochemical pigment coloring has great potential for commercialization as it results in superior color performance with less pollution, higher efficiency, and lower input consumption compared with other methods.