Abstract

The thermal conductivity of a full chrome leather has been measured at various moisture contents from dryness up to saturation, and increased about fourfold over this range. The thermal conductivity K of any full chrome leather can be cal culated from other quantities which are more easily measured. Its approxi mate value is given by the equation:

where K1, K2, K3 and K4 are the thermal conductivities of air, leather fibre, liquid water, and grease, respectively, and a, p, and y are the frac tions of the overall leather volume occupied by leather fibre swollen by absorbed water, by liquid water, and by grease. K1, K2, K:j and K4 can be taken as having the values 62, 800, 1500 and 350 microcalories cm.’ sec deg’. The value of y can be calculated directly from the mass of grease per unit volume of leather, and the values of a and i from data given in the paper.