Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.48, No.22, 9817-9822, 2009
Modeling the Effects of Color on the UV Protection Provided by Cotton Woven Fabrics Dyed with Azo Dyestuffs
Color is one of the most influential variables on the protection against ultraviolet radiation provided by a fabric. The protection against UV radiation of a fabric is expressed quantitatively by means of its UPF (ultraviolet protection factor). The present paper shows the results of a study about the influence of the color on the UPF of cotton woven fabrics appropriate for summer articles. Through statistical models, the research seeks to relate the level of protection achieved in dyeing with three azo dyes to the factors governing the process, the shade, and the color intensity, as well as their interaction with the initial UPF of the fabrics. The obtained models will allow the programming and optimization of the value of the UPF of a fabric by means of adequate adjustment of the variables.