DOI: 10.36347/sjet.2019.v07i10.001

Pages: 271-277

Researchers throughout the world are looking for alternative tanning systems to overcome the problems of chromium tanning. Well-documented mineral tannages, like aluminium, silicon, titanium, iron, or zirconium salts. The hydrothermal stability of the leather-tanned using these tanning materials is lower than that of chrome-tanned leather. Pure vegetable tannages are thus not suitable as chrome replacements, whilst combination tannages employing vegetable tannins and metal salts are potential alternatives to chrome tanning, capable of producing hydrothermally stable leathers. In the present study, a combination tanning system based on Quebracho-Aluminum tannage for the production of upper leathers as an eco-friendly process is presented. The Quebracho powder has been used in a combination tanning system based on Quebracho and Aluminum sulphate. Both tanning trials Quebracho followed by Aluminum (Quebracho -Al) and Aluminum followed by Qebracho (Al-Qebracho) have been attempted. Qebracho-Al leathers tanned using 20% Quebracho; followed by 2% Al2O3 resulted in shrinkage temperature of 104oC. However, Al-Qebracho leathers tanned using 2% Al2O3; followed by 20% Quebracho resulted in shrinkage temperature of 95oC. Qebracho-Al combination system resulted in leathers with good organoleptic and mechanical properties. The work presented in this paper was focused on obtaining an eco-friendly tanning process based on Quebracho-aluminium combination tanning system.