Aplicación de un proceso ecológico de tratamiento de cuero tipo piel de culebra con cromo free como una alternativa de moda en Ecuador

Abstract

The objective of this research work consists of applying a chrome-free bovine leather tanning treatment to obtain a good quality snakeskin type leather as a fashionable alternative in Ecuador. Different levels of zirconium (2, 3.5 and 5%) were used with biodegradable products. All the general processes for the common treatment of bovine leather were carried out, and the variables (temperature, hydrogen potential, time, concentration) were controlled at each stage. Once the leather was finished, physical-mechanical and sensory tests were carried out to evaluate the quality of the leather. The number of experimental units was 12, i.e. 3 bands per treatment and one unit called white, which was treated with the traditional chrome process for the respective comparisons. The results of the tests indicate that all the treatments performed with zirconium favor the pressing of the finished leather, since, it can be differentiated in that it has more relief and can be used to develop any article, to save costs the best treatment is zirconium at 3.5% because the quality with this concentration is equally good compared to the other percentages, while the leather that was tanned with chrome does not have good texture, the pressing of the plate is not uniform and it does not have relief. The price per dm2 of leather commonly treated with snakeskin finish is $0.41 and the price per dm2 of finished leather treated with 2% zirconium is $0.44/dm2. The final price of leather treated with 3.5% zirconium is $0.44/dm2 and finally the cost of leather treated with 5% zirconium is $0.45/dm2. It is recommended to use zirconium as a tanning agent if the customer wants a leather with a good engraving and high level of relief.