Amphiphilic acrylate copolymer fatliquor for ecological leather: Influence of molecular weight on performances.

ABSTRACT With increasing demand for ecological leather, ecological fatliquors with good comprehensive properties are getting more and more attention. The amphiphilic acrylate copolymer containing both hydrophilic (carboxyl) and hydrophobic (long alkyl) groups is one of the main alternatives to conventional fatliquors. In this paper, a series of poly(acrylic acid -co-stearyl acrylate) with different relative molecular weights were prepared, and the influence of the molecular weight on their application performances were evaluated. The results show that lower relative molecular weight of copolymers is conducive to the penetration and absorption, and it improves the softness and fiber separation of leather. When the number average molecular weight ( M_n) of copolymer is higher than 25,000, its penetration and absorption become worse and the resulting leather feels hard. In addition, the amphiphilic acrylate copolymers can impart excellent oxidation resistance and transference resistance to leather, which is a considerable improvement over the conventionally retanned and fatliquored leather. The copolymer has great penetration and absorption ability when M_n is within the range of 9,000-15,000, and it gives leather excellent integrated properties, such as filling, softness, mechanical strength, extraction resistance, and oxidation resistance, which can meet requirements of ecological leather. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43440. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]