Leather and Footwear Journal

Volume 11, no 3

Contents
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Determination of Abrasion Resistance of Automobile Upholstery Leathers
- Pages 177-190
  Nuray Olcay ISIK¹, Irfan CIRELI², Meruyert KOIZHAIGANOVA¹*
  - ¹Faculty of Engineering Leather Engineering Department, Ege University, 35100, Bornova/Izmir, Turkey, email: meruyert_k@hotmail.com
  - ²Kula Leather Training School, Celal Bayar University, Kula/Manisa, Turkey
  ABSTRACT. In recent years, as a result of increasing customer demands such as natural appearance and handle, comfort, luxury and prestige, parallel to technologic improvements in automotive industry, a new trend for using leather in coating and upholstering the interior elements of autos has raised. Leathers and leather goods used in automotive sector are in the leather article group with high performance expectations. However; there has been no consensus about criteria for performance characteristics of automobile upholstery leathers, thereby, each car manufacturer wants to buy leathers according to their own requirements. It is inevitable phenomena that in progressing time material aging would cause lacking in performance and at the same time the diverse effects (but in most cases negatively) in properties and the setbacks in comfort. In particular, proceeding possible chemical decomposition depending on interior conditions of a car is of importance enabling both the lacking of material properties and decreasing the comfort of driving as well as health risks of drivers. In this study, one of the expected performance characteristics of automobile upholstery leathers - the abrasion resistance was determined by Taber Abraser.
  
  KEY WORDS: automobile upholstery leathers, abrasion resistance, Taber Abraser
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The Activity of Some Enzymes on Type I Fibrillar Collagen
- Pages 192-200
  Madalina Georgiana ALBU^1,2*, Mariana FERDES², Maria GIURGINCA², Ciprian CHELARU³, Rodica CONSTANTINESCU³, Mihaela Violeta GHICA⁴
  - ¹University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Manastur St., Cluj-Napoca, Romania, email: albu_mada@yahoo.com
  - ²"Politehnica" University of Bucharest, Bucharest, 313 Spl. Independenței, sector 4, Bucharest, Romania, email: marianaferdes@yahoo.com
  - ³INCDTP Division: Leather and Footwear Research Institute, 93 Ion Minulescu St., 031215, Bucharest, Romania, email: cchelaru_cciprian@yahoo.com
  - ⁴Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia St., Bucharest, Romania, email: mihaelaghica@yahoo.com
  ABSTRACT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo enzymatic biodegradation of cross-linked and uncross-linked collagen sponges. For this reason the influence of enzymes (collagenase, pepsin, trypsin and papain) was performed on the designed sponges. Collagen hydrolysates as biodegradation results were investigated using FT-IR analysis and kinetic method. The strongest effect of degradation on sponges was recorded for collagenase. The best resistance to biodegradation was obtained for the cross-linked collagen matrices. The results of the enzymatic biodegradation were correlated with FT-IR spectra and kinetic data from enzymatic biodegradation.
  
  KEY WORDS: collagen, biodegradation, enzymes
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The Influence of TMPT Coagent on the Mechanical Properties of the EPDM Rubber Cross-linked by Irradiation
- Pages 201-210
  Elena MANAILA¹*, Maria Daniela STELESCU², Daniel IGHIGEANU¹, Gabriela CRACIUN¹, Daniela BERECHET²
  - ¹National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Electron Accelerators Laboratory, 409 Atomistilor St., 077125 Magurele, Romania, email: elenam_inflpr@yahoo.com
  - ²National Research and Development Institute for Textile and Leather Leather and Footwear Research Institute, 93 Ion Minulescu St., Bucharest, Romania, email: dmstelescu@yahoo.com
  ABSTRACT. This paper presents the effect of the polyfunctional monomer trimethylopropane trimethacrylate (TMPT) on the mechanical properties of the ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM) cross-linked by electron beam and microwave processing. The control samples were obtained by cross-linking with benzoyl peroxide in a hydraulic press at 160°C. The results showed an improvement of mechanical properties for samples cross-linked by irradiation.
  
  KEY WORDS: ethylene-propylene terpolymer rubber, cross-linking, electron beam, microwave, trimethylopropane trimethacrylate
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Study and practice on alternative eco-friendly processes for leather manufacture
- Pages 211-220
  Luminita ALBU¹*, Mariana POPESCU², Viorica DESELNICU¹, Eugen ALBU²,
  Gabriel ZAINESCU¹
  - ¹INCDTP - Division Leather & Footwear Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania, email: luminita.albu@gmail.com
  - ²SC Pielorex SA, Jilava, SAI, Romania
  ABSTRACT. The inclusion of environmental issues in the definition and implementation of other policies is essential for achieving the objective of sustainable development. Leather industry, which has a considerable pollutant impact, must find efficient technological and economical solutions for this problem. Efficient raw material and energy usage, optimum process chemical utilisation, recovering and recycling of waste and substitution of harmful substances are important principles of the IPPC Directive. For tanneries the focal points are water consumption, efficient use and substitution of potentially harmful process agents and waste reduction within the process in conjunction with the recycling and re-use options. Chromium (III) salts are extensively used in the tanning process; about 90% of the leather manufactured worldwide is tanned using chromium (III). It h as been used in the leather industry for almost 150 years, because it remains the most efficient and versatile tanning agent available and it is also relatively cheap. Due to the toxicity of chromium, tanners around the world are often placed under pressure to reduce the chromium content of their effluent discharges and the resulted solid wastes (leather wastes and sludge). The main objective of the paper is development of new clean technologies for leather manufacture, in order to protect environment and improve the quality of life for both workers and consumers. The new vegetable tanning processes developed in a traditionally mineral tannery will increase ecological and economic efficiency and may save resources for further sustainable development.
  
  KEY WORDS: ecology, vegetable tanning, diversification
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Intelligent Agents for Modelling and Controlling Processes in the Leather Industry
- Pages 221-232
  Sergiu-Adrian GUTA*
  - INCDTP - Division: Leather and Footwear Research Institute, 93 Ion Minulescu St., 031215, Bucharest, Romania, email: guta.sergiu@icpi.ro
  ABSTRACT. Undoubtedly, human resources are vital to thrive in any business and in leather-footwear industry alike. Nevertheless, exploiting intellectual capital to its real potential, identifying critical resources and critical areas of knowledge are a great desideratum. In this respect, nowadays, technology can help a lot in assisting managers to achieve this desideratum by boosting efficiency of businesses. This paper outlines the potential impact of agent technology on training employees to do the right actions and mitigate the rate of errors that could occur. Moreover, a study based on literature review has been conducted, which unfolded the advantages of agent technology in simulating an environment in which human operators can be trained in cutting leather without wasting any material by using digitally scanned leathers. A client-server architecture has been developed in order to retain intellectual capital within the company and to facilitate a smooth transfer of knowledge from experts to unskilled workforce.
  
  KEY WORDS: intelligent agents, multi-agent, innovative technologies, leather, training
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Aqueous Adhesive Dispersions of Chloroprene Elastomers
- Pages 233-248
  Laurentia ALEXANDRESCU¹*, Minodora LECA², Marian MIHUT²
  - ¹National Research & Development Institute for Textile and Leather Division: Leather and Footwear Research Institute, 93 Ion Minulescu St., Sect. 3, 031215-Bucharest, Romania, email: icpi@icpi.ro, laura_alexandrescu@yahoo.com
  - ²University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, 4-12 Regina Elisabeta Blvd., Sect. 3, 030018-Bucharest, Romania, email: minlec@yahoo.com
  ABSTRACT. Many works were aimed at studying the grafting reaction kinetics and mechanism and obtaining some environmentally friendly aqueous adhesive dispersions intended to be used in shoe manufacturing, a new environmentally friendly high performance nanomaterial obtained by grafting chemically reacting groups onto the elastomer chain leading to the aqueous elastomer dispersions with the best bonding strength characteristics. The grafting aim is to obtain high characteristics by introducing side chains of different structures from the molecule backbone. Grafting was achieved by an accurate chemical process of dispersing at the nano level, involving some activating sites on the base elastomer structure which are to be bound onto the reacting groups. The paper presents the study of the possibility of obtaining adhesives showing superior bonding characteristics to those of the classic adhesives, a good bonding strength at high temperature and humidity resistance, which could be used for a variety of supports.
  
  KEY WORDS: grafting, grafted polychloroprene, dispersions, adhesiveness
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