Phytochemical analysis and extraction of natural dyes from mulberry leaves

Abstract

Textile chemists and colorists are encouraged to employ eco-friendly methods of dyeing textile substrates due to environmental limitations. Natural compound dyeing, with its practical qualities and environmental advantages, has gained increased attention. The present study investigated the aqueous and alkaline extraction method for obtaining natural colors from mulberry leaves. The extract from mulberry leaves produced a brown to yellow-brown color. The optimal conditions for dye extraction were found to be a M:L ratio of 1:30, a temperature of 80 °C with time duration of 80 minutes. Colour composition evaluation of the natural dye using UV-visible spectra revealed the presence of quercetin and kaempferol at 370 nm. FTIR results showed the presence of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, halogen group and tannin in mulberry leaves. Overall, it can be concluded that the dye extracted from mulberry leaves could be promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic brown dyes for fabrics.