Our Research

Dye Photostability

Dye photostability, particularly in heterogeneous environments, is a field of great technological importance. From photographs to dyed fabrics, the desired image and hue is almost always formed as a result of the combination of a number of dyes and pigments. Consequently any photodegradation of the image components can result in a loss of colour balance and iamge definition. Here at loughborough, through research sponsored by a number of companies including Unilever, we are currently working to elucidate the dominant photodegradation pathways of commonly used dyes and pigments. Our ultimate goal is the design of additives or modifications to the substrate to inhibit these photoprocesses and thus enhance the life of the product.

Selected References

Hunt, P.; Wilkinson, F.; Worrall, D.R. and Batchelor, S.N. “Quantitative rate constants for the reaction of dyes and alkenes with a-hydroxyalkyl radicals, measured by laser flash photolysis” Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences 2, 2003, 518-523

Hunt, P.; Worrall, D.R.; Wilkinson, F. and Batchelor, S.N. “Quantitative rate constants for radical reactions in the nanopores of cotton” Journal of the American Chemical Society 124(29), 2002, 8532-8533

Wilkinson, F., Worrall, D.R., Wilkes, I.P. and Jansen, L.M.G.,''The Role of Singlet Molecular Oxygen in the Photodegradation of 1-Arylazo-2-naphthols in Methanol and on Cotton'', Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 125, 1999, pp 99-106, ISSN 1010-6030

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