Journals@UC (University of Cincinnati)
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Performance Assessment of Kert Protease Treatment for the Sustainable Management of the Unhairing System in Tannery
No full textPollution management has received significant critical attention in the leather industry, and effective solutions involve minimizing pollutant discharge during production and optimizing waste utilization through reuse and recycling. This study focused on developing an enzyme unhairing system to reduce sulfide pollution in leather production, which utilized recombinant KerT protease with minimal collagenolytic activity to avoid over-degrading the hide collagen fibers. The properties of the recombinant protease were systematically analyzed to ensure efficient complete hair removal by degrading the soft keratin of hair roots. A comprehensive pollution management strategy for the unhairing system encompassed both wastewater reuse and solid waste hair recovery. The concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N), and sulfide in the wastewater notably decreased during the liming processes to 74%, 38%, 30%, and 0%. After five unhairing-liming wastewater cycles, the quality of the finished leather remained uncompromised, with the highest tear strength reaching 117.2 N/mm. Additionally, waste hairs generated by this system could be collected to produce regenerated protein, containing approximately 70% total protein. This industrial-scale enzyme unhairing system for cowhide contributed to cleaner leather production and effectively addressed challenges associated with waste management, including wastewater recycling and protein regeneration from waste hairs
Extraction of Perceptual Factors of Xiaoliang Mountain Yi Embroidery Patterns and Innovative Application in Women’s Leather Boots
No full textXiaoliang Mountain Yi embroidery represents a significant subcategory of Yi ethnic embroidery, characterized by a long historical tradition and distinctive handcrafted techniques. Women’s boots, a staple footwear choice for female consumers during the autumn and winter seasons, have historically failed to satisfy the growing demand for personalization. This shortfall stems from a lack of innovation and the insufficient incorporation of traditional ethnic cultural elements, which are largely absent from most boots on the market. As a key medium for conveying artistic and cultural significance, Xiaoliang Mountain Yi embroidery patterns embody the profound heritage of traditional ethnic culture. Integrating these patterns into innovative women’s boot designs imbues the products with unique stylistic attributes. This paper proposes a modernized application design process for traditional patterns, leveraging Kansei engineering and shape grammar to quantify consumer affective evaluations of Xiaoliang Mountain Yi embroidery patterns. The most popular patterns, as identified through consumer evaluations, are further refined using shape grammar and innovatively applied to women’s boot designs. The findings reveal that employing Kansei engineering to analyze consumer affective responses provides a scientific and data-driven foundation for pattern innovation. Moreover, the creative application of Xiaoliang Mountain Yi embroidery patterns enhances the distinctiveness of women’s boots, offering valuable insights and actionable strategies for designers and brands in the women’s footwear market
Preparation of Paper from Chrome Shavings: A Sustainable Approach Towards Solid Waste Management
No full textGlobally, the leather industry generates a vast amount of chrome shavings annually. Repurposing this abundant waste material in paper manufacturing presents economic and environmental benefits. Paper manufacturing predominantly relies on wood pulp as the primary raw material. Incorporating pulp derived from lingo-cellulosic fibers is widely recognized and valued within the paper industry. The present work has attempted to evaluate the suitability of chrome shavings to be used in combination with wood pulp in paper making. The chrome shavings were dechromed and transformed into pulp as dechromed shavings pulp (DCS). The manufacturing process involved blending DCS and wood pulp at different ratios to create the paper, including binders. The synthesized paper was tested for physical properties. The results showed that the properties such as grammage, bulk density, thickness, tear resistance, and opacity of the DCS blended paper increased with the concentration of the DCS pulp. However, there was a decrease in the brightness of the DCS-wood pulp blended paper, with an increase in DCS pulp. The findings suggest that the optimal condition for paper production using chrome shavings is 40:60 DCS pulp to wood pulp. This newly developed paper material exhibits potential application as a packaging material for leather and leather products. Our solution aims to create a sustainable loop within the leather industry
118th Convention Address and Meeting Minutes
No full text118th Annual Convention: May 21 - 24, 2024
Opening
Welcome (Joseph Hoefler)
Award Presentation
Meeting Minutes
Close (Joseph Hoefler, John Rodden
Recent Progress in Fatliquoring Technology of Chrome-Free Tanning Systems: from Tanned Leathers, Fatliquors to Process Parameters
No full textFatliquoring is an important process in leather production, which is helpful to improve the mechanical properties and sensory properties of leather, especially the softness. However, in recent years, with the urgent demand and rapid development of chrome-free tanning technology, the traditional fatliquoring agents and fatliquoring processes designed to adapt to chrome tanning technology are no longer compatible with these new tanning technologies and usually face the problems of low fatliquoring absorption rate, uneven distribution and poor binding ability. In order to better promote the integrity and commercial exploitation of chrome-free tanning technology, some fatliquoring agents and corresponding fatliquoring processes suitable for chrome-free tanned leather have been developed. This review summarizes the recent progress of fatliquoring technology suitable for chrome-free tanned leather. The properties of chrome-free tanned leather, the characteristics of different fatliquoring agents, the fatliquoring process parameters, and their influence on the fatliquoring process of chrome-free tanned leather are emphatically discussed. Furthermore, the characterization methods of fatliquoring effect are also introduced from the aspects of absorption, distribution and biodegradability of fatliquoring agent and fatliquoring mechanism. Especially, the problems faced by fatliquoring technology of chrome-free tanned leather aredescribed, and its future development direction is prospected.Finally, the reasonable assumption of fatliquoring agent and expected fatliquoring effect suitable for chrome-free tanned leather based on silicon materials developed by our group is put forward
Nurturing Empathy: Exploring Teachers’ Insights from Minnesota’s Nature Preschools
No full textEmpathy, defined here as the knowledge and sharing of others’ feelings (KnafoNoam et al., 2009), is an essential competency that facilitates connection and compassionate action that is important to nurture in early childhood. Nature preschools have been found to be effective in fostering empathy in young children (Ernst et al., 2022), however it is unclear how the nature-preschool approach supports children’s empathy development. Grounded in the constructivist paradigm, the purpose of this qualitative interview inquiry was to explore teachers’ experiences of the ways nature preschools nurture the development of empathy in young children. The resulting conceptual model emphasizes the importance of the natural environment, school culture, and role of the teacher in supporting children’s empathy development. 
Book Review: The Nature of Inclusive Play: A Guide for Designers, Educators and Therapists
No full textBook Review
The Nature of Inclusive Play: A Guide for Designers, Educators and Therapists by Amy Wagenfeld and Chad Kenned