Leather is a niche
material used for upholsteries, gloves, and
garments due to its high durability, flexibility, and softness properties.
The inclusion of nanoparticles in the leather matrix provides multifunctionality
for high-performance applications. Herein, we synthesized hexagonal
boron nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles via a single-step hydrothermal
synthesis and treated the leather after dispersing in polyethylene
glycol (PEG) to yield h-BN/PEG-treated leathers. Atomic force microscopy
and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis ascertained
the particle size of 30–50 nm for as-synthesized h-BN nanoparticles.
h-BN nanoparticles along with PEG were successfully incorporated into
the leather matrix, and this was confirmed by surface and morphological
studies using field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive
X-ray analysis and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Leathers
treated with h-BN/PEG were studied for insulation against heat and
cold, and the results displayed improved thermal insulation properties
compared to the control leathers. The dynamic mechanical analysis
of control and treated leathers demonstrated higher storage modulus,
loss modulus, and tan δ values for h-BN/PEG-treated leathers,
signifying an increased energy absorption and dissipation potential,
which was further ascertained by the low-velocity drop-weight impact
resistance test. Thus, the results of this study open up new prospects
for h-BN/PEG-treated leathers in strategic applications demanding
high thermal insulation and impact resistance properties.
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