Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Leather Fatliquored Using Modified Lophiralanceolata Seed Oil

Abstract

: In leather processing, fatliquor is one of the most important chemicals used by the Tanner ies. This research showed the potential use of locally available raw material Lophiralanceolata (Namijin- kade) seed oil for fatliquor production and potentially substitute for the imported vegetable oil sulphatedfatliquor. The fatliquors were prepared by s ulphation reaction. The degree of sulphation were varied as, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% concentrations of the sulphuric acid. Also, the leather treated with fatliquors were characterised for their mechanical properties and morphological arrangement and these properties were compared to a leather fatliquored with a commercially available fatliquor. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, percentage elongation and ball - burst of the fatliquored leathers increased with increase in the degree of sulphation. An optimum tensile strength of 23.20 MPa at 10% degree of sulphation (4% fatliquor offer), percentage of elongation of 97.04% at 4% fatliquor offer and 6% degree of sulphation and a distension of 12.13 mm, respectively. The morphological properties of the fatliquored leather at 300x magnification indicated penetration of the fatliquor into the leather collagen fibres which caused the flexibility observed on the fatliquored leather compared to the non-fatliquored leather. The optimum tensile strength of 23.20 MPa at 10% degree of sulphation compared to the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) (10.10MPa) standard for fatliquored leather, proved that the prepared fatliquor can substitute the imported fatliquor. Therefore, as a result of the high tensile strength of 20.45 MPa and 23.20 MPa at 8% and 10% degree of sulphation respectively (4% fatliquor offer). The fatliquored leather can be used as clothing leather, wallet and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card packs. Also, the distension properties of the leather at 12.13 mm, indicated the use of the fatliquored leather for shoe upper leather.