In previous paper by the authors, thermal analysis of native and variously tanned collagen was described. From the results, it was assumed that the occurred change was attributed to heat transformation of crystalline part of collagen at 50-200°C, and the change was irreversible.
This paper was carried out to study dry thermal denaturation of untanned hides on the change of physical and chemical properties by heat treatment at temperature ranging from 100° to 190°C under a pressure of 70kg/cm2 for periods of 5, 10 and 25 minutes.
The deterioration of physical properties as untanned hides were treated at higher temperature was shown by following physical tests. That was, the load determined by tensile strength and torsion flexibility of heated samples increased, and the elongation at breaking point decreased. As for influence of moisture on the thermal deterioration of hides, its high contents showed more undesirable effect to hides than low contents.
Both heated and unheated samples were extracted with water of 20°C, and the constituents of the soluble fractions were determined. The amounts of soluble nitrogen, hydroxyproline and protein (by Cu-Folin reagents' method) showed little difference between the extracts of heated samples and unheated, except following points. The amounts of extracted constituent of the samples heated to 190°C were significantly higher than those of control.
From the above results, it was considered as follows: In spite of the hide substance was little decomposed by heating from 100° to 160°C, the deterioration of physical properties of hide was observed obviously. The fact was corresponded with the results of thermal analysis and the change was based on melting of crystalline part of collagen. The physical and chemical change of untanned hides by heating at 190°C resulted in thermal decomposition of collagen.
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