Electron Microscopical Analysis of Selected Dye Carriers Within Poly ( ethylene Terephthalate ) Fibers

Carrier/ solvent pretreatment of poly ( ethylene terephthalate) (PET) prior to dyeing is an alternative to conventional carrier dyeing. Carrier penetration of the fiber and diffusion of the dye into the fiber are believed to be interrelated phenomena, even though there is little direct evidence that the carrier is being absorbed by the fiber. High resolution techniques of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x- ray analysis were used to determine the location of the selected dye carriers, salicylic acid and anthranilic acid, within carrier/solvent pretreated PET fibers. Measurements of relative carrier concentration in and around the fiber revealed the presence of a significant quantity of carrier on the fiber surface, but smaller amounts of carrier had penetrated the fiber.