The effect of a UV-absorber on the photostability of acid dyes on silk

The effect of the ultraviolet absorber salicylic acid benzyl ester on the photo-stabilisation of CI Acid Blue 113 (ate type) and CI Acid Blue 40 (anthraquinone type) on silk fabrics has been investigated. The degree of photodegradation depends on the nature of dye and the amount of absorber applied to the silk. The addition of the UV-absorber resulted in a slight decrease in dye uptake and the addition of 2% owf salicylic acid benzyl ester afforded a good deal of protection against photodegradation. In addition, the photostability improvement was generally higher for CI Acid Blue 40.