A comprehensive overview of the performance of polyamide 6 in the consolidation of vegetable-tanned leathers

Abstract

Sometimes, vegetable-tanned leathers in museums, excavations, libraries, and storehouses deteriorate due to unsuitable environmental conditions that affect their properties. Accordingly, leather becomes weak. This study evaluates some mechanical, chemical, and physical characteristics of vegetable-tanned leather treated with polyamide 6 (PA6). The authors prepared new vegetable-tanned leather samples. PA6 at different concentrations was applied to the aged leather samples. The accelerated heat aging was applied on the new sample (reference before aging) and treated samples (aged untreated sample after treatment with PA6). Analytical techniques used were: test of the mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation), attenuated total reflectance/Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR/FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurement, contact angle, and pH measurement. The results proved that the accelerated heat aging affected the properties studied, as it reduced in the mechanical properties, pH value, and contact angle. Treating aged leather samples with PA6 improved all the properties studied. The mechanical properties, pH value, and contact angle of the treated and aged treated samples increased compared to the aged- untreated- sample. FTIR and DSC analysis proved the stability of the treated and aged treated samples compared to the aged untreated sample. The concentration of 2 % of PA6 gave the best concentrations used, and it is recommended to treat fragile vegetable-tanned leather.