| 摘要 |
A dye 22 produced from tobacco plant materials 14 selected from tobacco plants 12 and a process 50 for making the dye 22 from tobacco plants 12. In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco plants 12 are organically grown and the stems and leaves of the plants 12 are utilized to produce the dye 22. In one embodiment, the process 50 percolates a hot liquid solution 26 onto the plant materials 14 to produce tobacco plant fiber 16 and the dye 22. In the preferred embodiment, the process 50 includes the steps of grinding the plant materials, forming various solutions 56/60/64, adding enzyme cocktails 58/62, heating the solutions 60/64 for set periods of time and selectively adjusting the pH level of the solutions 56/60/64. The dye 22 can be produced in many colors and does not require a mordant to bind. The process 50 does not produce waste. The process 50 expands the use of tobacco plants 12, minimizes environmental impacts and requires less material, fuel and other resources. |
