Project Number: 1935-41440-019-02
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 01, 2011
End Date: May 31, 2012

Objective:
Develop a foundation using a new chemical approach to produce high quality chrome-free leathers, and pursue the development of a general mechanism for tanning.

Approach:
Polymerize select amines and/or their derivatives inside skins using free radical methods. The polymers generated within the hierarchical levels of collagen will be a new source of substantial levels of functional cationic sites. Their purpose is to simulate the cationic function of chromium tanned leather by attracting and fixing in and on the hide, the anionic retanning, coloring and fatliquoring products normally used to finish leather. The new polyamine functional skins will make high quality leather by fully utilizing the offers of the anionic material, and thus lead to minimal residues in the spent processing floats. A proposed experimental plan is shown in Provisional US Patent entitled "Wet processing of collagen-containing substrate" by Anton G. El A'mma.