Surface modification of wool/nylon blended fabric was carried out with protease enzyme to improve their dyeabilities to natural dyes. Cutch (Acacia Catechu) was selected and used in this study. The effect of enzyme concentration on the dye uptake (K/S) was studied at fixed treatment conditions: pH, temperature and treatment time.
The obtained results of K/S were compared to the corresponding values obtained for the control samples which were dyed without enzymatic pretreatment. Treatment with protease was found to increase the absorption capacity of both wool and nylon fibers to the natural dye leading to higher K/S compared to untreated samples.
The dyeing parameters were also studied including, dyeing pH, temperature, time and mordant concentration along with concentration of dispersing agent. The colour strength was observed to increase by increasing the pH of dye bath, temperature and concentration of dispersing agent, which may be attributed to increasing dye solubility and as a result the rate of diffusion and penetration of the dye inside the fibers of both nylon and wool.
Fastness properties to washing, perspiration and light were also assessed and were observed to range between good and excellent.