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DYES AND PIGMENTS

المؤلف:  Max M. Houck، Jay A. Siegel

المصدر:  Fundamentals of Forensic Science

الجزء والصفحة:  398

2026-08-16

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DYES AND PIGMENTS

Over 80 dyers worldwide are registered with the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), and almost 350 trademarked dyes are registered with this association. Some trademarked dyes have as many as 40 variants. Over 7000 dyes and pigments are currently produced worldwide. Natural dyes, such as indigo, have been known since before history, whereas synthetic dyes have gained prominence largely since World War I (Apsell, 1981). A dye is an organic chemical that is able to absorb and reflect certain wavelengths of visible light. Pigments are microscopic, water-insoluble particles that are either incorporated into the fiber at the time of production or are bonded to the surface of the fiber by a resin. Some fiber types, such as olefins, are not easily dyed and there fore are often pigmented. Based on the desired end product effects, the fiber substrate and the type of dye used, there are more than 12 different application categories for textile dyes. Very few textiles are colored with only one dye, and even a simple dye may be put through 8–10 processing steps to achieve a final dye form, shade, and strength. When all these factors are considered, it becomes apparent that it is virtually impossible to dye textiles in a continuous method; that is, dyeing separate batches of fibers or textiles is the rule rather than the exception. This color variability has the potential to be very significant in forensic fiber comparisons.