Preliminary investigation into the potentials of Clapertoniana- oxazolidine tannage as an alternative to chromium (III) tannage in the tanning industry

Differential scanning calorimetry of leather produced from combination tannage using tannins of Parkia clappertoniana fruit husk and oxazolidine has shown that the hydrothermal stability is favourably comparable to that of chrome tanned leather. Gel permeation chromatography of absolute ethanol extracts of the clappertoniana fruit husk gives molecular weight distribution of the colloidal and polydisperse tannins to be in the range for proper penetration and crosslinking of collagen fibres. The tanning process has been redesigned to improve the physical properties of the resultant leather, and also reduce the amount of chromium in tannery effluents.