Abstract:
The conversion of skin to leather involves structural, chemical
and physical changes to the material. The changes to the material
is often after every subsequent process that the skin goes through
before getting to the final leather. The leather processing involves
three sub stages; pretanning, tanning and post tanning. The aim of
the study was to determine the structural and chemical properties
of chrome tanned Nile perch fish leather. The structural properties
were determined using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The
materials were analyzed for both the surface and cross section. The
structural properties were carried out on the raw material then the
material was subjected to tanning and there after the structural
properties were determined in order to note the change that the
tanning has on the structural properties of this particular material.
Chrome content was analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometer
(AAS) and amount was reported in percentage content. The moisture
content was quantified and reported in percentage value.
From the structural analysis it was noted that the raw material is less
compacted as compared to the chrome tanned leather. The fibers of
the materials runs in one direction. The speed of the drum needs to
be regulated to reduce the destruction of the collagen fibers which
largely affects the physical properties of the leather. The average
values of chemical properties were reported as follows: Chrome
content of 2.45 % and Moisture content of 13.33 ± 1.88 % .The
chrome content that was offered in the leather was satisfactory to
give it a good hydrothermal stability.
