Liposomes of phosphatidylcholine: a biological natural surfactant as a dispersing agent

Disperse dyes are very hydrophobic molecules that in their commercial form are usually milled in the presence of large amounts of dispersing agents (synthetic surfactants). Other dispersing agents are added as auxiliaries during the dyeing process. These synthetic surfactants were substituted for liposomes prepared with phosphatidylcholine, a well-known biological surfactant of natural origin which is environmentally friendly, and liposomes were studied as a dispersing agent in polyester dyeing.The physicochemical behaviour of dye dispersion was analysed by two experimental measurements: the aggregation process of dye particles by filtration of dispersion and the determination of the turbidity ratio. The results obtained show the usefulness of liposomes as a dispersing auxiliary in a dyeing process, avoiding aggregation of dye molecules at high temperatures. Moreover, polyester dyeing shows similar final exhaustions, approximately 90%, at different kinetics, when liposomes are used.