Influence of solar radiation insolation precipitation on hydrophobized leather for shoe uppers

The influence of solar radiation and precipitation on leather samples for the upper part of footwear, treated with water-repellent compounds, was determined and the process of their destruction in natural atmospheric conditions was determined. The study of the effect of solar radiation on natural skin has not been sufficiently studied. In connection with the above, the test was carried out on experimental hydrophobized and initial (control) leather samples in an open area to determine the insolation of solar radiation and precipitation on the skin for the upper shoes. During the tests, a systematic examination of the exposed samples was carried out for 1-6 months, sampling for physico-mechanical and other tests was recorded by meteorological conditions. After that, the samples were subjected to organoleptic evaluation, physical-mechanical and chemical-analytical analyses, as well as structural studies. It was visually determined that, depending on the variant of hydrophobization used, fibrillar collagen formations change in different ways. After atmospheric insolation acts on the control sample, its fibrillar structure changes sharply, numerous micro cracks appear, located mainly perpendicular to the fiber axis, and clearly defined dark zones are found between the fibrils. Fibril outlines become indistinct, numerous torn ends are observed. However, such changes are not observed for hydrophobized samples. Significant changes in physical and mechanical properties are observed in the first and fourth months of natural aging. In the hydrophobized sample, the rate of change in hydrothermal destruction and the appearance of cracks in the face layer subjected to aging in an open area, is always lower compared to the control sample.