Research Article

ENHANCING THE DYEING PERFORMANCE OF COTTON WITH CURCUMIN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MORDANT TYPES AND APPLICATION METHODS

Ukanah, S.P.1*, salisu Z. M.2, Shitu, U.M1, Gadimoh S.3, Suleiman A. M2, Gero, M.1, Chibuzo- Anakor, N.C.1, Umar, I.S1, Oddy-Obi, I.O.1, Daniel, D.1
1 Department of Textile Technology, National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria.
2 National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Basawa, Zaria, Nigeria
3 Department of Polymer and Textile Technology, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna-Nigeria
* Corresponding author: pendo4success@gmail.com
Published: Aug, 2025
DOI: 10.67637/njt.2025.a878oh7r
Pages: 87-96
Views: 47
Downloads: 77

Abstract

Curcumin, a natural dye derived from turmeric, faces limitations in cotton dyeing due to its poor fibre affinity and inadequate fastness properties. This study systematically evaluates the enhancement of curcumin dyeing performance on cotton using three metallic mordants (alum, ferrous sulphate, and potassium dichromate) applied through pre-, meta- (simultaneous) and post-mordanting techniques. Dye exhaustion and fastness properties (wash, rubbing, and light) were assessed. Unmordanted cotton exhibited low dye exhaustion (45%) and poor fastness performance. Mordanting significantly improved dye uptake and fastness properties, with ferrous sulphate applied via pre-mordanting yielding the highest exhaustion (82%). Potassium dichromate and ferrous sulphate produced the most improved fastness results (wash fastness: 4–5; light fastness: 3–4). Among the mordanting techniques, pre-mordanting consistently demonstrated superior performance. The findings confirm that appropriate mordant selection and application strategy can substantially enhance curcumin dyeing, enabling its effective use as a high-performance and sustainable natural dye for cotton textiles, thus, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes.

Keywords

Curcumin Exhaustion Mordanting Curcuma longa Cotton fabrics

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How to Cite

S.P., U., M., S. Z., U.M, S., S., G., M, S. A., M., G., N.C., C. A., I.S, U., I.O., O., & D., D. (2025). ENHANCING THE DYEING PERFORMANCE OF COTTON WITH CURCUMIN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MORDANT TYPES AND APPLICATION METHODS. Nigerian Journal of Textiles, 11(1), 87-96. https://doi.org/10.67637/njt.2025.a878oh7r

U. S.P., S. Z. M., S. U.M, G. S., S. A. M, G. M., C. A. N.C., U. I.S, O. I.O., and D. D., "ENHANCING THE DYEING PERFORMANCE OF COTTON WITH CURCUMIN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MORDANT TYPES AND APPLICATION METHODS," Nigerian Journal of Textiles, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 87-96, August 2025. doi: 10.67637/njt.2025.a878oh7r

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