Assessment of the Dyeing Properties of Natural Dye Extracted from Lawsonia Inermis Leaves on Chrome-Tanned Leather Using Tannic Acid and Metallic Salts as Mordants

Abstract

Dyeing and coloration of leather are foremost processes in the production of leather material. This study targets to determine the effects of tannic acid and metallic mordants on dyeing properties of natural dye of Henna plant extract, with view to evaluate the phytochemical properties of the extract. The Henna (Lawsonia inermis) plant sample was extracted and used to dye leather using selected synthetic mordants. The extract was subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis using standard methods. The mordants such as tannic acid, ferrous sulphate, zinc sulphate and aluminum sulphate were used individually and in tannic acid blend combinations. Leather was dyed using each of the selected mordants under conventional mordanting techniques, adopting the recognized dyeing method. The dyed leather samples were washed and dried, after which the color fastness using light fastness and rub fastness were analyzed for assessment of color fastness of leather. Phytochemical compounds such as tannins, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, terpenoids, phlabotannins and phenols are present, whereas saponins, flavonoids, oxalates and quinones are absent. It was concluded that Henna plant dye with tannic acid-metallic mordant blend as mordant under post-mordanting technique gave the best result of colour fastness of the Henna dye.