Textile Leveling Agent – Leomine Level PES

Textile Leveling Agent – APEO free Levelling Agent for high temperature dyeing of polyester fibers.

Chemical Nature : Mixture of Esters and APEO free emulsifiers

Features

• Yellow to Light brown viscous liquid.
• Miscible with water in all proportions.
• Gives emulsions with water that are stable for several hours.
• Stable to electrolytes.
• Stable to hard water and acidic conditions during dyeing of polyester.
• Stable to high temperatures encountered during dyeing of polyester.
• Stable to high shear.
• APEO free.
• Low odour.

Benefits

• Suitable for Jet dyeing machines and machines with low liquor ratio.
• Exhibits excellent synchronization action on exhaustion of various disperse dye combinations.
• Ensures even levelling – out of disperse dyes in high temperature phase.
• Minimizes effect of disperse dyes in their affinity to polyester.
• Does not exhibit dye retention for polyester fibre. Results in even dyeings.
• Improves colour yield of low diffusion disperse dyes.
• Does not affect or damage polyester fiber even at high temperatures.
• Does not cause polyester fiber shrinkage.

Note :

Like other Levelling agents Leomine Level PES may cause slight decrease in light fastness. It is recommended to test light fastness of dyeings especially for automotive textiles.

In the case of Polyester/ Cellulosic and Polyester/Polyamide blends, Leomine Level PES may exhibit certain dye retention effect on direct, acid and vat dyes in long liquor dye baths.

Ecology

According to our experience Leomine Level PES does not exert any harmful effects on health provided they are used as per our recommendation. Does not contain APEO / NPEO.

Storage

This Textile Leveling Agent has a shelf life of at least one year if stored in its tightly sealed original packing at temperatures between 5
ºC and 35ºC in a dry place. Drums should be tightly resealed each time the material is taken from them, and their contents should be used up as soon as possible after they have been opened.

Properties

Appearance: Yellow to Light brown viscous liquid

Solubility: Miscible with water in all proportions

pH: 6 – 8

Density: 1.0 – 1.1g/cm³

Stability

Leomine Level PES is resistant to acids and electrolytes at the concentrations at which they are usually employed in dyeing processes of Polyester and its blends.

Compatibility

This Textile Leveling Agent is compatible with anionic and non-ionic auxiliaries.

Application

Leomine Level PES is emulsified by stirring it into ten times its own volume of cold water.

The following additions are made to the warm dyebath (50 – 60 °C) in the order given below :

• 0.5 – 2 % Leomine Level PES
• 0.5 –1.5 g/l Leomine Disperse XPD
• 0.5 g/l Leomine Extract CST (optional)
• pH 4.5 – 5 (with acetic acid or Leomine Buffer DBC)
• … % disperse dye

Pre-treat the material with the auxiliaries at the specified initial temperature for several minutes. Then add the disperse dye, check the pH for adjustment.

If necessary heat the dye bath to 125ºC – 135°C and dye the goods for 20 – 60 minutes at this temperature.

The heating-up rate, the dyeing temperature and the dyeing time in the HT phase depend on the depth of shade, the circulation of the liquor or movement of the textile material, and the type of material being dyed.

Levelling

Uneven dyeing can be levelled – out with Leomine Level PES as follows:

• 1 – 4% : Leomine Level PES.
• pH 4.5 – 5 with acetic acid or Leomine Buffer DBC.
• 60 –120 min at 130 –135 ºC.

Safety

When using this textile leveling agent, the information and advice given in our Material Safety Data Sheet should be observed. Due attention should also be given to the precautions necessary for handling chemicals.