Logwood Extract

Logwood extract, derived from Haematoxylum campechianum, is a highly valued natural dye known for its deep purple hues. Native to the Yucatan region of Mexico, this tree has a historical significance, being one of the most prized dye sources from the New World. Due to its high demand, especially in European fashion during the 18th century, it played a significant role in the dye trade, even sparking conflicts between Spain and England over regions rich in logwood trees.

Alfa Chemistry offers premium-grade logwood extract in both liquid and powdered forms, suitable for textile dyeing, laboratory staining, and other applications.

Product Details and Packaging

Alfa Chemistry provides a superior grade of logwood extract that guarantees consistent quality and performance. Sourced from managed tree farms, our logwood extract comes in both liquid and powdered forms to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

• Liquid Logwood Extract - Easy to use, this formulation offers convenience in preparing dye baths. A 25-gram bottle can dye approximately 250 grams of fiber to a deep purple shade.
• Powdered Logwood Extract - Our powdered form offers flexibility and a more concentrated dyeing solution. 25 grams of the powdered extract can dye up to 500 grams of fiber to a rich, dark purple shade, ensuring greater yield for larger batches.

Chemical Composition and Dyeing Properties

The coloring principle of logwood extract is hematoxylin (C₁₆H₁₄O₆), a natural dye precursor that oxidizes to hematein, responsible for the rich purple and black hues. This dye binds strongly to protein fibers, making it ideal for use on wool and silk. However, logwood itself is not particularly lightfast. Exposure to bright sunlight can cause fading. When combined with mordants such as iron, the dye achieves a near-black shade with improved lightfastness.

Mordanting and Dyeing Process

Logwood is unique in its ability to produce a range of shades depending on the mordant and dye bath conditions. On its own, logwood extract yields a rich purple tone; however, the addition of iron as a mordant darkens the shade to black, enhancing the color's durability.

• Alkaline Conditions: For a richer purple tone, adding soda ash to the dye bath when dyeing wool and silk is recommended. This adjustment enriches the color intensity and helps bind the dye more effectively to the fibers.
• Iron as Mordant: The use of iron mordants not only darkens the logwood-dyed fabric but also improves the dye's lightfastness, making it more suitable for long-term applications.

Applications

Alfa Chemistry provides logwood extract for a variety of uses, including:

• Textile Dyeing: Logwood continues to be a popular choice for natural textile dyes, especially for wool and silk fibers. The dye can yield various shades depending on the mordants used, from bright purples to deep blacks.
• Laboratory Staining: In histology, logwood extract, primarily in its hematoxylin form, is used as a staining agent for cell structures.
• Suture Dyeing: Logwood dye is also applied in the medical field for dyeing sutures, giving them a visible contrast.

It is important to note that our products are for research use only and are not for clinical use.