FATLIQUORING POTENTIALS OF SULPHONATED Lophira lanceolata SEED OIL AND ITS APPLICATION ON SHOE UPPER LEATHER

Abstract

Lophira lanceolata seeds were collected during the winter, dried and deshelled. The seeds were
ground to smaller sizes to increase the surface area. N-hexane was used as the solvent for the
extraction followed by the characterization and production of fatliquor. The following
parameters were determined from the oil: solubility, acid value (AV), saponification value (SP),
iodine value (IV), refractive index (RD) of the trial/control sulphonated oil and the results were
observed to be 3.8 %, 204mgKOH/g, 74%, and 1.459 respectively. The functional groups were
determined using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). FT-IR analysis of the sulphated product
confirmed the presence unsaturation (–C=C-). After the characterization, the oil was used for the
production of sulphated fatliquor which was tested on three pieces of retanned goat skins divided
along backbone line into two equal halves each. One half used as control while the other side
used as a trial. The fatliquor was applied in the order of 3%, 5% and 7% and same percentages
were used on the control samples. The leathers were dried, conditioned, staked, toggled and the
following physical properties of the leather were examined for both trial and control samples:
ball burst test, tensile strength, water absorption, percentage elongation and the results gave
3.48,3.27kg/mm,35.98,35.72 N/Mm2,40.21,40.90% respectively. The sulphonated Lophira
lanceolata oil had good characteristics as a leather fatliquor as shown by the physical and
strength properties of the fatliquored leather. The results obtained revealed that Lophira
lanceolata can effectively be used to manufacture fatliquor to be used to lubricate leather in
fatliquoring process.
Keywords: Lophira lanceolata, oil, fatliquor and leathers.