Dye chemistry is very complex and intricate. There are many manufacturing steps and each is critical for the final color to emerge and maintain full intensity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayA dye is an organic compound, which can be a natural or synthetic substance, that is used to add or change the color of something. In the past, almost all dyes came from natural sources such as plants and animals. More recently, chemists have begun to replicate these naturally occurring colors by turning them into synthetic dyes. These synthetic dyes are generally colored more intensely and have better color fastness. Molecular structure of a dye: A dye is made up of 2 main parts. The first is a chromophore. Each dye has a chromophore. It is a group of atoms that control the color of the dye and this is their main function. They hold on tightly to their electrons. Most dyes also contain 2 auxochromes. These are used to intensify the color and to form chemical bonds with the fibers, so that the dye particles can stick to the fiber. They give up their electrons. Chromophores and auxochromes are linked by a conjugated system. Types of dyes: There are four main types of dyes. Direct dyes form chemical bonds with the fabric. You immerse the fabric in a solution and then an "absorption" occurs where the dye molecules attach to the fabric molecules. Due to the “polar” structure of the dye molecule and the tissue molecule, sections of the molecules can have a slightly positive or negative charge. The negative part of the dye molecule attracts the positive part of the tissue molecule. There is no sharing of electrons and there is a weaker bond called “Van Der Waals” and the color can be washed off easily. An example of direct dyeing would be tie dye. The second type of dye is a disperse dye. They are unique in the sense that they are the only insoluble dyes, meaning they are not soluble in water. Disperse dyes are more effective at dyeing polyester. The molecules that make up disperse dyes are the smallest of all dye molecules. These dyes are mainly used with dye bath solutions, and to ensure the process goes smoothly, dispersant products are used to intensify the water solubility of the dye. The third type of dye is a reactive fiber dye. These dyes can react chemically to create covalent bonds. These are the strongest dyes. The actual chemical reaction can strip electrons or protons from tissues. This process opens up sites for new bonds, between the dye molecule and the fabric. This reaction produces very strong covalent bonds. The original fiber reactive dyes were created for cellulose fibers and to this day are used primarily for this purpose. Fiber-reactive dyes had been foreseen for a long time and were only created in 1954. Before that, they had tried several times to make the dye and the fiber react, but the result was only the ruin of the material. The fourth type of dye is vat dyes. In vat dyeing the color forms inside the fibre. The color does not appear if it is not subjected to the appropriate treatments. An example of a vat dye is indigo. Another example would be Tyrian purple. This color does not form until the dye is exposed to air and sunlight. First Synthetic Dye: The first synthetic dye was created by William Henry Perkins. In.