Abstract:
Castor oil is classified as semi-drying oil because it oxidizes on exposure to air,
giving a gummy film, and can be highly sulphated to make it emulsible in water. In
the raw condition it is seldom used in fatliquoring of leathers because crude oil
does not emulsify with water and hence the failure of the fatliquor process. Castor
seeds were collected, sundried, and crushed. Castor oil was leached in a soxhlet
apparatus using hexane as a solvent. An oil content of 28.4%was obtained.
Physical and chemical analysis was carried out to obtain crude castor oil. The
crude castor oil was converted to fatliquor by sulphation using conc sulphuric
acid(98%). The physical and chemical analysis were carried out for the produced
fatliquor and compared with the standards. This study is carried, through extraction
and characterization of castor oil. Normal hexane was used as a solvent for the
extraction process. The characterization analysis revealed that important
parameters, include specific gravity, PH, saponification and iodine values for both
crude and refined castor oil produced, these were compared the ASTM standard
specifications. Sulphated castor oil are added to the leather during re-tannaing
process to lubricate leather fibers and to impart softness, flexibility and hand
feeling. Fatliquors are mainly emulsifyied mixtures, prepared by addition of
phosphate, sulphonate, and sulphite groups etc.Sulphation is one of the methods
used to prepare fatliquor emulsion where sulphuric acid is used. In the present
study, castor oil is extracted from castor beans. The physicochemical properties of
the prepared fatliquor were determined. The fatliquor was applied to leathers in the
re-tannaing process and the strength properties of the resultant upper leather were
assessed through various physical and chemical tests. The results obtained revealed
that castor oil can effectively be used to manufacture fatliquor to be used to
lubricate leather in fatliquoring process.
