title: Deer leather: analysis of the microstructure affecting pebble.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deer leather has a characteristic pattern, referred to as 'pebble', which is accorded such importance that a lack of it renders a leather defective. Synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), ultrasonic imaging, scanning electron microscopy, and tear tests were used to investigate the structural characteristics of well-pebbled and poorly pebbled cervine leathers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Poorly pebbled leather has a less open structure in the upper grain region than well-pebbled leather. The orientation index (OI) of leather with a poor pebble is less than that of the well-pebbled leather, particularly in the corium. The tear strength is also less for the poorly pebbled leather.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differences in structure between well- and poorly pebbled cervine leathers are not the same as the structural differences between tight and loose bovine leathers, to which they are sometimes compared. On the contrary, good pebble may reflect an internal structure similar to that of looseness. It is hoped that methods to prevent a reduction in pebbling during the processing of cervine leather may be developed by applying this knowledge of cervine leather's structural characteristics. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Hannah C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.|Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Katie H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Sizeland
authors.affiliation: Leather and Shoe Research Association of New Zealand, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sue M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.affiliation: Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.affiliation: Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mudie
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3890-7105
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Haverkamp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D003670:Deer; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D033081:Shear Strength; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: cervine; collagen; leather; looseness; orientation; pebble; small angle X-ray scattering; ultrasonic imaging