ABSTRACT
Fatliquor affects the physical properties of the leather and makes it more flexible and softer. This study was carried out to utilize some non-edible oils, Castor, Jatropha and Deep Frying Oil (DFO), to prepare sulphated fatliquor, can be used in leather tanning. The used oils in this study were obtained by automatic hydraulic press. The sulphated fatliquors emulsions were prepared by sulphitation of oils with concentrated sulfuric acid. Chemical characterizations of oils and prepared fatliquor were determined. Prepared fatliquors were compared with commercial fish oil fatliquor (stander) at two concentrations, 6% and 12% based on the pelt weight. All fatliquors were used in fatliquoring calf wet-blues to study the change in leather properties. Results explained that the fat content in Castor seeds and jatropha seeds were 32.04% and 55.74%, respectively. The content of unsaturated fatty acids were 96.86%, 81.28% and 50.10% in extracted oils of Castor, Jatropha and DFO respectively, the iodine value of extracted oils from them which was (89.43 gm. I2/100 gm. oil), (103.17 gm. I2/100 gm. oil) and (70.58 gm. I2/100 gm. oil) respectively. Therefore, oils - which are liquid - are rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Iodine value indicates to a melting point of the extracted oils. So fats and oils are usually classified, on the basis of their iodine value as drying oils, semi-drying oils and non-drying oils. Also existence of the double bond in the acids makes the sulfation reaction easy through breaking that bond and completing the reaction which was suitable for preparing fatliquor for leather tanning. After fatliquoring the calf wet-blues with different studied fatliquors and finishing it, the properties of finished leathers were similar in quality and suitable for different purposes of leather manufacturing. Therefore, the study is recommended to utilize studied fatliquoring in leather tanning to decrease the production cost of leathers, as well as, reducing pollution resulting from unsafe disposal of these oils.