Rendering Flax Fibre Dyeable with Basic Dyes via Partial Carboxymethylation

Carboxymethylation of flax has been carried out by first treating the fibres with sodium hydroxide followed by the sodium salt of monochloroacetic acid. The treatment was carried out under a variety of conditions. Variables studied included concentrations of monochloroacetic acid and sodium hydroxide in the impregnating solutions, as well as duration and temperature of the reaction. It was found that the extent of carboxymethylation increased substantially by controlling the concentrations of alkali and monochloroacetic acid, and by reacting for 60 min at 70 ºC. The behaviour of selected samples of partially carboxymethylated flax towards basic dyes was also studied