Synthesis and Leather Application Properties of a Carboxylated Graphene Oxide Modified Waterborne Polyacrylate Leather Finishing Agent

Abstract

Carboxylated graphene oxide (GO-COOH), prepared by the
reaction of bromoacetic acid with the hydroxyl and epoxy groups
on the graphene oxide (GO) layers, was blended into a poly(ethyl
acrylate) (PEA) emulsion and a PEA emulsion based polyacrylate
leather finishing agent respectively, to prepare PEA/GO-COOH
composite emulsions and GO-COOH modified waterborne
polyacrylate leather finishing agents. The consequence of the
amount of GO-COOH on the properties of the PEA film and
related leather coatings were systematically investigated. The
results indicate that stable GO-COOH dispersed composite
emulsions were generated leading to homogeneously dispersed
composite films. With an increase in the GO-COOH amount
from 0 wt% to 0.5 wt%, the tensile strength increased by 106.2%.
Additionally, TGA results demonstrated an improvement of the
thermal stability of PEA film after modified with GO-COOH.
ost importantly, the folding resistance and rubbing fastness
properties of leather finished with GO-COOH modified
polyacrylate leather finishing agents were improved
proportionate to the GO-COOH amount. Therefore, the
GO-COOH modified waterborne polyacrylate leather finishing
agent possesses improved performances and likely offers
beneficial leather finishing application properties.