Leather industry could benefit from Nobel Prize-winning chemistry
Sarah Drayna, regional manager for the Americas at TFL Group and newly elected member of the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) executive committee, has said the innovation that won this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry was useful for the leather industry.
She told LCHA: “We are excited about it, as it is a chemistry that can be used in the betterment for the leather industry in various ways.”
The award went to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi who developed a new form of molecular architecture. In their constructions, metal ions function as cornerstones that are linked by long organic (carbon-based) molecules and contain cavities. These porous materials are called metal organic frameworks (MOF). Chemists can design them to capture and store specific substances and chemicals – and have a use in treating wastewater, capturing chemicals.
“As a scientist and someone who has worked in this field for 25 years, it is great to hear that the technology recognized by the Nobel Committee is something that we can use to make the leather-making process even more environmentally friendly,” she added.
