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Herein, we report the synthesis and application of a smart polymeric acrylic syntan (synthetic tanning material), which can respond to temperature and pH. Behavior of polymer at different pH (1-10) at room temperature (28°C) was studied. Also interactions with collagen were ascertained in order to understand the polymers’ response towards secondary structures of collagen. Leather made using the experimental syntan demonstrated higher temperature resistance of 3±0.5°C compared to control syntan treated leathers (1±0.5°C) when exposed to heat under artificial simulation. Experimental leathers exhibited better strength and organoleptic properties. These smart leathers find its application in extreme climatic conditions of heat or cold.

Pollution from the leather industry is of great concern for tanners worldwide. The unhairing and fiber-opening processes, which contribute the majority of the pollution through the use of sodium sulfide and calcium hydroxide, were replaced in this study by processes using an enzyme and the imidiazolium-based ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. In addition, the deliming process, which is typically applied after liming operations, was completely avoided, eliminating the use of ammonium salts, which leads to other environmental concerns. The extent of fiber opening of the matrix was analyzed by estimating the proteoglycan content and performing histological studies. The physical strength properties of the IL-treated leathers were found to be comparable to standard norms. This study thus demonstrates that ILs can be successfully employed for unhairing, where they can enhance the activity of unhairing enzymes, as well as for the fiber-opening process of leather making.