Browsing by Author "Mutuku, Maxwell"

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    Publication
    Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Goat Leather Tanned using Acacia xanthophloea
    (Textile and Leather Review, 2023-07) Kiprop, Ambrose; Cheloti, Michael; Wangila, Phanice; Onyuka, Arthur; Sasia, Alvin; Mutuku, Maxwell; Induli, Martha; Kundu, Bevin; Masenge, Edna
    Acacia xanthophloea is a tree in the Fabaceae family with wide distribution mainly around Laikipia in CentralKenya and major parts of the Rift Valley town of Naivasha, Kenya. A number of trees under the Fabaceae familyare renowned as sources of vegetable tannins for leather processing. Despite recent advances in research, locallyavailable vegetable tanning materials have not been widely exploited in Kenya for commercial tanning purposes.This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties of goat leather tanned with crude extracts of Acaciaxanthophloea from Naivasha, Kenya. Crude extracts of Acacia xanthophloea combined with pre-tanning andtanning procedures were used to produce leather. The commercial mimosa was used as a control. The leathertanned with crude extracts of Acacia xanthophloea had a thickness of 0.81 ± 0.11 mm, tearing strength of 37.87± 2.09 N, tensile strength of 27.50 ± 7.51 N/mm2, percentage elongation of 18.00 ± 6.67, grain crack of 6.19 ±0.20 mm and grain burst of 7.10 ± 0.27 mm. The crude extracts of Acacia xanthophloea confer good tanning andgive the leather a reddish tinge, whereas some mechanical properties attenuated, compare favourably with thecontrol (mimosa). Acacia xanthophloea which is abundantly available in Kenya with scarce use can potentially becultivated and refined as a commercial source of tannins.