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Bleaching:
Bleaching is chemical treatment
employed for the decolorize of natural
coloring matter from the substrate.
The material appears whiter after
bleaching.
It improves whiteness by removing
natural coloration and remaining trace
impurities from the cotton; the degree
of bleaching necessary is determined
by the required whiteness and
absorbency
The aim of bleaching can be
described as following:
Removal of colored impurities.
Removal of the seed coats.
Minimum tendering of fibre.
Technically reliable & simple mode of
operation.
Low chemical & energy consumption.
Increasing the degree of whiteness.
Bleaching Agent
A bleaching agent is a substance
that can whiten or decolorize other
substances. Bleaching agents
essentially destroy chromophores
via the oxidation or reduction. Thus,
bleaches can be classified as either
oxidizing agents or reducing agents
.

Bleaching agents
Bleaching agents
Oxidative bleaching the bleaching agent is a
chemical reagent which decomposes in alkali
solution and produce active oxygen.
The active oxygen is in fact the intrinsic
bleaching agent as it will further destroy partly
or completely the coloring matter present in the
textile material.
Reductive bleaching the bleaching agent will
destroy the coloring matter by reductive
reaction of SO
2
.

Bleaching:
Cotton being a vegetable fiber will be
bleached using an oxidizing agent, such as
dilute sodium hypochlorite or dilute hydrogen
peroxide. If the fabric is to be dyed a deep
shade, then lower levels of bleaching are
acceptable. However, for white bed sheets &
medical applications, the highest levels of
whiteness & absorbency are essential.
Reductive bleaching is also carried out,
using sodium hydrosulphite. Fibers like
polyamide, polyacrylics and polyacetates can
be bleached using reductive bleaching
technology.

Type of Bleaching Agents:
Oxidative Bleaching Agents
Reductive Bleaching Agents
Enzymatic Bleaching Agents

Bleaching agent:
Auxiliaries used for bleaching:
Stabilizers
Activators
Wetting agents/detergents
Sequestering agents
Anti-corrosion agents

Calcium Hypochlorite Bleaching
Calcium hypochlorite is usually a white or
grayish-white powder free from lumps , contains
about 35-37% active chlorine,
Calcium hypochlorite is a yellow white solid
which has a strong smell of chlorine. It is not
highly soluble in water and is more preferably
used in soft to medium-hard water. It has two
forms: dry and hydrated.


Calcium Hypochlorite Bleaching
2Ca(OH)
2
+2Cl
2
Ca(ClO)
2
+CaCl
2
+H
2
O
Calcium hypochlorite is the main
component of bleaches
*Bleaches cannot be stored with
sunshine directly
Ca(ClO)
2
+H
2
O+CO
2

CaCO
3
+2HClO
*If bleach is exposed to the sun, it will
lose its function.
Sodium Hypochlorite Bleaching:

It is done by using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as a
bleaching agent. NaOCl is a highly unstable
compound at normal conditions of temperature & pH.
It doesnt exist as solid form. As it is highly unstable so
it undergoes self decomposition by following
reactions:
2NaOCl NaCl + NaClO
2

3NaOCl 2NaCl + NaClO
3

2NaOCl 2NaCl + O
2

The bleaching mechanism of sodium hypochlorite
consists of the following reaction:
NaOCl NaCl + (O)

Relatively it is less costly.
No need of stabilizers in hypochlorite bleaching.

It is mainly used for cellulosic fibres not for
protein fibres like wool, silk.
Hypochlorite is having degrading affect on
cellulose.
It doesnt give any scouring action.
It cant be used over coloured material.
There is a problem of corrosion and unpleasant
odours.
Hypochlorite bleaching needs an antichlor
treatment.

Hydrogen Peroxide (H
2
O
2
)
Bleaching
Properties of H
2
O
2

It is a colourless syrupy liquid
It is absolutely stable under acidic conditions
It is sensitive to sunlight.
It decompose if allow to react with heavy metals.
It is highly unstable to alkali like NaOH, Na
2
CO
3
,
rapidly decomposition takes place.
2 H
2
O
2
2 H
2
O + O
2


Mechanism of peroxide
bleaching

Hydrogen peroxide is stable in acidic medium,
Bleaching occurs by the addition of alkali or by
increased temperature, when perhydroxyl ion
(HO
2
-
) liberates.
Perhydroxyl is highly unstable and in the presence
of oxidisable substance (coloured impurities in
cotton), it is decomposed and thus bleaching
action takes place. Sodium hydroxide activates
hydrogen peroxide because H
+
ion is neutralized
by alkali which is favorable for liberation of HO
2
-
.
H
2
O
2
+ NaOH H
2
O + HO
2
-


Recipe for Bleaching:

H
2
O
2
Concentration - 2-4%
Sodium silicate - 0.5-1%
NaOH/Na
2
CO
3
- 0.5-1%
Sequestering agent - 0.1-0.3%
pH - 9.5-10.5
Temperature - 80-85C
Time - 90 mins
Peroxide is universal bleaching agent can be
employed to wool, silk as well as cotton.
Peroxide is milder agent so degrading affect on
cellulose is less.
Peroxide also gives mild scouring action so
simultaneous scouring and bleaching is possible
in continuous process.
It doesnt affect the coloured material so it can be
used for coloured materials.
With H
2
O
2
there is no need of danger of
equipment corrosion and no unpleasant odours.
Only rinsing after bleaching is sufficient

Bleaching with peroxide is a costlier than
hypochlorite.
Hydrogen peroxide bleaching requires
stabilization usually with silicates which have
problem of stains on subsequent dyeing.

Comparison of Bleaching
Efficiency:
pH Temp. Time Wax Ash Fluidity %Reflect.
NaOCl 11 40
0
C 2h 0.23 0.05 6.2 83

NaClO
2
3.8 98
0
C 2h 0.21 0.02 6 86

H
2
O
2
10.5 90
0
C 2h 0.09 0.41 5.1 90
Image of Bleaching:
Bleaching of Cotton:
Cotton is bleached in the raw state, as yarn and in the
piece.
In principle, the bleaching of cotton is a comparatively
simple process in which three main operations are
involved, viz.
(1) boiling with an alkali; (2) bleaching the organic
colouring matters by means of a hypochlorite or some
other oxidizing agent; (3) souring i.e. treating with weak
hydrochloric or sulphuric acid.
For loose cotton and yarn these three operations are
sufficient, but for piece goods a larger number of
operations is usually necessary in order to obtain a
satisfactory result.
In the case of cotton goods, 85 percent of these
fabrics are bleached by continuous peroxide methods.
In this system, the singed goods are put through a rapid
de-size steamer, washed, impregnated with a mild 3
percent solution of caustic soda, and pulled up into the
top of a huge J shaped container (called a J box) that
is equipped to maintain a temperature close to 212
0
f
(100
0
c). The J box is big enough to hold the goods for
atleast an hour. After this time period, the fabric is
hauled out of the J, given a hot wash, impregnated with
a 2 % solution of hydrogen peroxide, and put in a
second J for another hour. Washing follows, and the
fabric goes to the dryer fully bleached.
J-Box
Bleaching of Viscose:

Filament viscose rayon may not require bleaching
since this is normally carried out during manufacture.
However, viscose in staple form requires bleaching as it
may not necessarily include a bleaching treatment
during its manufacture.
The same reagents as those used for bleaching linen
and cotton fabrics are useful for these fibers.
For very good whiteness, rayon may be bleached on a
jigger with alkaline hypochlorite or combined scour and
bleach using hydrogen peroxide containing sodium
silicate and alkaline detergents-at a temperature of
about 70C.
Bleaching Jigger
Bleaching of Blended Fibre Fabrics

Polyester/Cellulosic Blends:
Polyester fibre in blends with cellulosic fibres in the ratios
of 65/35 and 50/50 are common construction.
When cellulose portion is rayon, the blends rarely
require bleaching, but when cotton is present bleaching is
usually necessary.
Bleaching treatments of such blends are normally
required to remove the natural colours of cotton, sighting
colours and if the polyester portion is turned yellow at the
time of heat-setting operation.
Chlorine bleaching, peroxide bleaching and chlorite
bleaching are employed widely.

If the polyester portion requires bleaching, then
chlorite bleaching is used, as this bleaching agent
bleaches both polyester and cellulose.
If the polyester portion does not need bleaching,
then peroxide bleaching is more convenient.
Alkaline hydrogen peroxide bleaching is the most
preferred system for polyester/cotton blends.
Polyester/Wool Blends:
In general, blends containing wool and polyester fibres
can be bleached with hydrogen peroxide either in acid or
alkaline medium without risks of damage.
In acid medium, the fabric is treated with a solution
containing 30-40 ml/l H2O2 (35%), 2-4 g/1 organic
stabilizer,0.25 g/1 wetting agent and 0.25 g/1 detergent at
pH 5.5-6 (acetic acid) for 40-60 min at 80Cor 2-2.5 h at
65C. The treated fabrics are then given warm and cold
rinse.
In alkaline medium, the bath comprises of (35%), 30-40
ml/l H2O2; sodium pyrophosphate, 2-4 g/l; ammonia to
maintain the pH 8.5-9. The bath is set at 40C and the
goods are treated for 2-4h, and rinsed well in warm and
cold water.
Nylon/Cellulosic Blends:
Blends of nylon and cellulosic fibres may be bleached
with either H2O2 or NaClO2. H2O2 does not bleach nylon
and normal methods of bleaching degrade nylon.
Blends containing 30% or less of nylon may be bleached
by the continuous H2O2 method, and in such cases cotton
will absorb the peroxide preferentially and so protect the
nylon from damage.
Nylon/Wool Blends:
It is difficult to bleach this blends since the method
normally used for nylon degrade wool.
Alkaline H2O2 bleaching always damages the polyamide
fibres to some extent.
Normal alkaline H2O2 bleaching process may be used
with safety on blends containing up to 25%polyamide, but
acid bleach must be used when proportion exceeds this
figure.
The fabric can be bleached with a solution containing 12-
15 ml/1 H2O2 (35%); 2 g/1 tetra sodium pyrophosphate, 1
g/1 EDTA (30%) at 60-65C for 45-60 min and then rinsed
well in water.
Determine the bleaching Efficiency:
Absorbency Test:
The simple test of measuring the absorbency of sample
consists of allowing a drop of water to fall from a fixed height
(2.5 cm) on to the conditioned fabric sample, which is
mounted on an embroidery frame of about 6 inches diameter.
A stop watch is started as soon as the drop falls on the fabric
and stopped as the water drop is completely absorbed by the
fabric. This complete absorption of drop is ensure by
appearance of a dull spot on fabric i.e. the reflected light
disappear from the edge of drop. This time is termed as the
absorbency time.
Yet another method for absorbency test is the measurement
of the time required for the sample of about 1 inch size to
sink in water, termed as sinking time. A drop absorbency or
sinking time of about 5 sec is generally considered
satisfactory for well prepared fabric.
***The End***