APPLICATION OF FATLIQUOR PREPARED FROM SUDANESE CASTOR OIL IN LEATHER FATLIQUORING PROCESS

Fatliquors are added to the leather during fatliquoring process to separate leather fibers from each other and to impart softness, flexibility and hand feeling. Fatliquors are mainly emulsifying mixtures, prepared by introduction of phosphate, sulphonate, and sulphiteqroups etc. into the structure of oils and fats or by addition of surfactants to the composition of fatliquoringagent.Sulphation is one of the common methods used to prepare fatliquor emulsion where sulphuric acid is used. In the present study, castor oil extracted from Sudanese castor beans in the previous work was used to prepare fatliqour by sulphation process. The physicochemical properties of the prepared fatliquor were tested. The fatliquor was applied to the bovine leathers in the fatliqouring process and the strength properties of the resultant crust leather were assessed through variousphysical and chemical tests.The results obtained revealed that Sudanese castor oil can effectively be used to prepare fatliquor to be used to lubricate leather in fatliquoring process.