Oral · Pages 88–97
Abstract
Research summary supplied by the authors
Nowadays, the continuous increase in the production sustainability of the leather industry should be considered an ordinary challenge. The implementation of green processes and the utilization of natural or recycled resources, maintaining high performance of the fi nal products, are innovative methods to reduce the economic, social, and environmental impacts. This research aims to provide a series of eco-sustainable functionalized materials, based on maleic anhydride and natural oils, as effi cient and environmentally friendly alternatives to petrochemical substances. The originality of the study consists of the evaluation of a new class of bio-based adducts including grape, hempseed, and linseed oils. These natural sources were selected for their marginal economic and social impact, and their structural properties, such as the high content of unsaturated fatty acids, as advantageous sites to functionalize triglyceride molecules. Moreover, the standard thermal synthesis was compared to the microwave irradiation process, as an alternative technique providing reduced energy consumption, minimized pollution, rapidity, and simplicity in processing. The structural analyses and the grafted effectiveness of maleic anhydride on vegetable oils were supported by Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Acid-base titration provided information on the performance of anhydride functionalization. The practical objective of the present research was to provide new bio-based, sustainable, and eco- friendly materials, such as functionalized vegetable oils, as effi cient alternatives for leather industry applications including fat liquoring, impermeabilization, and re-tanning.