Abstract

The tanning potency of titanium in comparison with other conventional mineral tanning agents, viz. chromium and aluminium as well as vegetable tannins (wattle extract) and syntan (syntan DLE) is assessed. This article deals with experiments conducted on straight as well as different combination tanning systems (pre-tannage, retannage and simultaneous tannage) involving titanium and these tanning agents. Among the straight mineral tannages, the fixation of titanium is found to be greater than that of chromium and much greater than that of aluminium. In combination tannages involving titanium and chromium as well as titanium and aluminium, titanium could well be used for pre-tannage as well as simultaneous tannage rather than for retannage. With vegetable tannin and syntan, pre-tannage by titanium is found to be more suitable than retannage and simultaneous tannage.