STUDIES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESSES FOR THE TANNING AND FINISHING OF EMU SKINS WITH IMPROVED PROPERTIES

NAME: A. EDWIN JOHNSON (2009306011) A. VIJAYARAGAVAN (2009306044)

SUPERVISORS: Mr. Abhinandan Kumar Dr. R Aravindhan

INTRODUCTION

Emu - flightless birds, native to Australia Emu birds brought to India during 1996 Commercial farming started during 2000 near Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh. Large quantities of emu skins are available but inadequate knowledge about emu skins amongst tanners results in wastage of skins Skins coming out from emu farms are not effectively utilized and are wasted Reports are available on the conversion of emu skins in to leathers Leathers are not of good quality owing to their uneven thickness and grain pattern

EMU LEATHERS

Emu, like other leathers, is a planar material that is comprised of a network of collagen fibers that obey their own hierarchical order This order is what ultimately dictates the properties of the leather In order to encourage emu skin usage, subjective attributes of the skin should be translated into physical properties It is proposed to develop tanning and finishing processes for emu skins to improve the properties of emu leathers Enables increased use of emu leather products in market

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

Overall

Aim

Develop processes of tanning and finishing of Emu skins with improved properties
Detailed

Objectives

Optimization of the defeathering of emu skins to achieve good and even grain pattern Selection and standardization of tanning process Optimization of post tanning and finishing for the development of emu leather meeting all the properties requirements

STRATEGY
(i) Evaluation of existing defeathering operation (ii) Selection and Standardization of tanning system Chrome tanning, Vegetable tanning Combination tanning (iii) Optimization of post tanning operation Upper leather Garment leather (iv) Optimization of Finishing operation

WORK DONE SO FAR

Literature review Obtaining Chemicals

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