[glaceon]

For my final exam in chemistry we have to do an experiment and explain the chemistry of something used in everyday life. I chose hair dye for mine (permanent). For the entire semester we're supposed to research and find all of the information needed and then present it along with the experiment, basically.

I'm supposed to include a balanced chemical equation, the limiting reagent, theoretical yield, enthalpy and entropy. I'm also supposed to state which chemical principals are used (such as gas laws, stochiometry, thermodynamics, etc.) And I have to show an example calculation.

I've found plenty of information about how hair dye works and that the main two ingredients are NH3 and 2(HO). However, i'm having problems finding the rest of the information I need. I'm not that great in this class and I've been looking for days trying to find even an example of a chemical equation for permanent hair dye. I'd change it to something simpler but it's already too late because I've submitted an outline of the project and my collected data so far.

If possible, could someone please provide me with the bit of information I have left? It doesn't have to be an elaborate equation. I just need a very basic equation showing how the product reacts when either mixed or applied to the hair, and then the other information based off of that.

Thanks in advance

[Borek]

I don't know much about chemistry of hair dyes, what I know is that the ammonia/hydrogen peroxide thing is not the dying part of the process - it is only an activator (whatever it means). What it activates, and what is the exact process in which dye is attached to hair, is another thing.

Compare http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Para-phenylenediamine. There is a reasonably looking explanation of the chemistry behind in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_dye

I am afraid it is not a simple process using one obvious reaction, so the chemical equation, yield and so on can be difficult to pinpoint.