Assessing the Compatibility of Disperse Dye Mixtures by the Use of Colour Coordinates

Polyester fabric was dyed with a mixture of three disperse dyes of similar hues (all in the red-yellow sector of colour space) in equal proportions at different depths. The colours of the dyed samples were measured on a spectrophotometer attached to an IBM Personal Computer and the results used to study the compatibility of the dyes in mixture. The dyes showed better compatibility at the lowest applied depths of 1.5 % o.w.f. The technique based on K/S values was found to be useful for a practical dyer to judge the compatibility of dyes of similar hues in mixtures