Laccase-mediated dye-free coloration of wool fabric

Abstract

In this study, aninvestigation o nanovel coloring technique, based on laccase-mediated radical coupling of amino acid molecules of wool fibres, has been carried out. Firstly,the influence of temperature, incubation time, and <em>p</em>H on the <em>K</em>/<em>S</em> value and hue angle (<em>h</em>) of the colored wool fabrics is studied. Analysis of levelness of coloration, wash fastness, rubfastness, and UV-protection factor of the colored wool fabrics has been done. Then, the surface morphology and structure of the wool fibres are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The enzymatic coloration processes are carried out in an acetate-sodium acetate buffer medium (<em>p</em>H 5) at 50°C for 24 h and the colored wool fabrics show good color fastness and uniformity. The results obtained areas per the requirements of textile color fastness. SEM study shows that no particles are adhered to the surface of the wool fibres. The results of FTIR and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy show that the obvious oxidation coupling reactions take place between the molecules in the polypeptide chains of the wool.