Synthetic leather

Abstract

The invention provides synthetic leather. The synthetic leather comprises a base material layer, a first polyolefin layer and a second polyolefin layer, the first polyolefin layer is disposed on the substrate layer, and has a Shore A hardness of about 40 A to about 70 A. The second polyolefin layer is disposed on the first polyolefin layer and has a Shore A hardness of about 75 A to about 98 A.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to synthetic leather, and in particular to synthetic leather for automobile interior decoration. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the most common synthetic leather used in automotive interiors is primarily made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which offers excellent flexibility, formability, and affordability. However, the plasticizers contained in PVC can be harmful to humans and the environment, necessitating the development of a new synthetic leather alternative. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a synthetic leather comprising

[0004] substrate layer;

[0005] A first polyolefin layer disposed on the substrate layer and having a Shore A hardness of about 40A to about 70A; and

[0006] The second polyolefin layer is disposed on the first polyolefin layer and has a Shore A hardness of about 75A to about 98A.

[0007] In one embodiment, the substrate layer is a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, and / or the substrate layer is made of polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate.

[0008] In one embodiment, the material of the first polyolefin layer and / or the second polyolefin layer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefin elastomer, dynamically vulcanized polyolefin elastomer, polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof.

[0009] In one embodiment, the melting point of the first polyolefin layer and / or the second polyolefin layer is about 130 o C to about 180 o C.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first polyolefin layer further comprises a flame retardant.

[0011] In one embodiment, the thickness of the first polyolefin layer is from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, and / or the thickness of the second polyolefin layer is from about 0.01 mm to about 0.1 mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the ratio of the thickness of the first polyolefin layer to the thickness of the second polyolefin layer is from about 2:1 to about 10:1.

[0013] In one embodiment, the second polyolefin layer further comprises an abrasion resistant additive.

[0014] In one embodiment, the synthetic leather further comprises a surface texture layer disposed on the second polyolefin layer.

[0015] In one embodiment, the surface of the second polyolefin layer has textures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a synthetic leather 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing a synthetic leather 1a according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of symbols

[0019] 1: Synthetic leather

[0020] 1a: Synthetic leather

[0021] 11: Base material layer

[0022] 12: First polyolefin layer

[0023] 13: Second polyolefin layer

[0024] 14: Surface texture layer DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention provides a synthetic leather 1, comprising

[0026] Base material layer 11;

[0027] A first polyolefin layer 12 is disposed on the substrate layer 11 and has a Shore A hardness of about 40A to about 70A; and

[0028] The second polyolefin layer 13 is disposed on the first polyolefin layer 12 and has a Shore A hardness of about 75A to about 98A.

[0029] The substrate layer 11 can be a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric, so that the resulting synthetic leather 1 has good planar structural strength and elasticity. For example, the "woven fabric" can be formed from a single or multiple fibers (kinds) through a weaving method, such as weaving, knitting, crocheting, or rope weaving, and is not limited to mechanical weaving or manual weaving. The "non-woven fabric" can be formed from multiple fibers (kinds) through methods such as meltblowing, spunbonding, or needle-punching, but is not limited to these methods. In one embodiment, the material of the substrate layer 11 can be, for example, polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, but is not limited to these methods.

[0030] The first polyolefin layer 12 may be made of a polyolefin elastomer (also known as thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO)), a dynamically vulcanized polyolefin elastomer (also known as thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV)), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), copolymers thereof, or combinations thereof. The blending ratio of these materials may be adjusted to achieve a Shore A hardness of the first polyolefin layer 12 within a range of about 40A to about 70A, such as about 45A, about 50A, about 55A, or greater, and / or about 65A, about 60A, about 55A, or less. In one embodiment, the first polyolefin layer 12 may include polypropylene, TPO, and TPV, and the content of these materials may be from about 70% to about 100% of the total weight of the first polyolefin layer 12, such as about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, or greater, and / or about 98%, about 96%, about 95%, about 90%, or less.

[0031] Furthermore, the first polyolefin layer 12 may further include a flame retardant to reduce the flammability of the synthetic leather 1. For example, the flame retardant may be a mineral (such as aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, or borate), an organohalogen compound, an organophosphorus compound, or a carboxylic acid. In one embodiment, an organophosphorus compound, such as ANTI-10 flame retardant available from the Shanghai Research Institute of Chemical Industry, is used, but is not limited to this. In one embodiment, the flame retardant content may be from approximately 1% to approximately 10% of the total weight of the first polyolefin layer 12, for example, from approximately 2%, approximately 3%, approximately 4%, approximately 5%, or more, and / or from approximately 9%, approximately 8%, approximately 7%, or approximately 6%, or less.

[0032] In one embodiment, the thickness of the first polyolefin layer 12 can be from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, or from about 0.23 mm to about 0.27 mm. A larger thickness of the first polyolefin layer 12 can give the synthetic leather 1 a rich feel, but if the thickness is too large, the synthetic leather 1 will be hard and have a noticeable plastic feel.

[0033] The second polyolefin layer 13 may be made of TPO, TPV, PE, PP, copolymers thereof, or combinations thereof, and the blending ratio thereof may be adjusted so that the Shore A hardness of the second polyolefin layer 13 falls within a range of about 75A to about 98A, for example, about 80A, about 82A, about 85A, or above, and / or about 95A, about 92A, about 90A, or below. In one embodiment, the second polyolefin layer 13 is made of TPO or TPV, has a Shore A hardness of about 80A to about 98A, for example, 85A, 90A, or 95A, and comprises about 70% to about 100% of the total weight of the second polyolefin layer 13, for example, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, or above, and / or about 98%, about 96%, about 95%, about 90%, or below.

[0034] In addition, the second polyolefin layer 13 may further contain wear-resistant additives, such as talcum powder (Mg3Si4O 10 (OH)2), silicone, calcium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the wear-resistant additive may be present in an amount of about 1% to about 10% by weight of the second polyolefin layer 13, for example, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5% or more, and / or about 9%, about 8%, about 7%, about 6% or less by weight.

[0035] The second polyolefin layer 13 may further include a UV absorber, such as benzophenone or a hindered amine, to prevent degradation of the synthetic leather 1 due to sunlight when used in automotive interiors. In one embodiment, Chimassorb 2020, a hindered amine light stabilizer available from BASF, is used, but the invention is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the UV absorber may comprise approximately 0.2% to approximately 2% of the total weight of the second polyolefin layer 13, for example, approximately 0.5%, approximately 0.8%, approximately 1% or more, and / or approximately 1.7%, approximately 1.5%, or approximately 1.2% or less.

[0036] In one embodiment, the thickness of the second polyolefin layer 13 is from about 0.01 mm to about 0.1 mm, or from about 0.04 mm to about 0.06 mm. A larger thickness of the second polyolefin layer 13 can provide the synthetic leather 1 with better wear resistance, but if the thickness is too large, the surface of the synthetic leather 1 will be too hard and have an unpleasant feel.

[0037] In one embodiment, the melting point of the first polyolefin layer 12 and / or the second polyolefin layer 13 is about 130 o C to about 180 o C, for example, can be about 145 o C. 150 o C. 155o C. 160 o C or above, and / or 175 o C. 170 o C. 165 o C or less. Thus, the synthetic leather 1 can have good heat resistance and can be used in automobile interior decoration.

[0038] In one embodiment, the synthetic leather 1 can be prepared by the following steps:

[0039] (a) providing the substrate layer 11; and

[0040] (b) forming the first polyolefin layer 12 and the second polyolefin layer 13 on the substrate layer 11 .

[0041] In one embodiment, the first polyolefin layer 12 and the second polyolefin layer 13 can be formed simultaneously, for example, by co-extrusion through a T-die and lamination onto the substrate layer 11. Alternatively, the first polyolefin layer 12 and the second polyolefin layer 13 can be formed into continuous films, which are then sequentially laminated onto the substrate layer 11 and attached to the substrate layer 11 by heat pressing. During the lamination and heat pressing process, the second polyolefin layer 13 can also have a surface texture similar to natural leather. In another embodiment (such as Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the synthetic leather 1a may include a surface texture layer 14 disposed on the second polyolefin layer 13. The surface texture layer 14 may be made of, for example, polyurethane (PU), but is not limited thereto.

[0042] In the synthetic leather 1 of the present disclosure, the first polyolefin layer 12 has a Shore A hardness of approximately 40A to approximately 70A, and the second polyolefin layer 13 has a Shore A hardness of approximately 75A to approximately 98A. This combination of the first polyolefin layer 12 imparts a soft, rich feel and good drape to the synthetic leather 1, while the second polyolefin layer 13 provides the synthetic leather 1 with excellent abrasion resistance. For example, the drape property can be measured using methods such as DTSL5100G 4.18 and / or General Motors standard GMW3390, with the measured drape value being 110 mm or less, preferably 80 mm or less, and even more preferably 50 mm or less, ensuring the synthetic leather 1's soft feel.

[0043] In one embodiment, the ratio of the thickness of the first polyolefin layer to the thickness of the second polyolefin layer is about 2:10, for example, about 3:1, about 4:1, about 5:1 or more, and / or about 9:1, about 8:1, about 7:1, about 6:1 or less.

[0044] The following examples are used to illustrate the synthetic leather and its preparation method of the present invention in detail, but it does not mean that the present invention is limited to the contents disclosed in these examples.

[0045] Ingredients Description:

[0046] Hard TPV: Shore A hardness of 85A, with high strength and high wear resistance

[0047] Soft TPV: Shore A hardness of 45A

[0048] Hard TPO: Shore A hardness of 85A, with high strength and high wear resistance

[0049] Soft TPO: Shore A hardness of 60A

[0050] Base material: PET knitted fabric

[0051] UV absorber: BASF Chimassorb 2020

[0052] Flame retardant: Shanghai Chemical ANTI-10

[0053] Example 1:

[0054] A mixture of 98 wt% rigid TPV and 2 wt% UV absorber was used as the material for the second polyolefin layer. A mixture of 8 wt% polypropylene, 32 wt% soft TPO, 20 wt% flame retardant, and 40 wt% soft TPV was used as the material for the first polyolefin layer. These materials were co-extruded using a T-die to form a first polyolefin layer (approximately 0.23 mm to 0.27 mm thick) and a second polyolefin layer (approximately 0.04 mm to 0.06 mm thick). These layers were then laminated onto the fabric substrate (approximately 0.68 mm to 0.72 mm thick) and surface treated to create a textured surface. The second polyolefin layer was then treated with PU to form a textured surface layer (approximately 0.01 mm to 0.02 mm thick). This resulted in the synthetic leather of Example 1 (approximately 0.9 mm thick). The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0055] Examples 2 to 14 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4:

[0056] The same process conditions as in Example 1 were used, except that the raw materials were replaced with those shown in Tables 1 to 3. Synthetic leathers of Examples 2 to 14 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were prepared, and the evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 to 3 below.

[0057]

[0058]

[0059]

[0060] Evaluation method:

[0061] High wear resistance

[0062] To meet the high wear resistance requirements of automotive interiors, the Gakushiin Abrasion abrasion test (Honda Standard Test Method 11-2-2) was conducted. Test piece dimensions: 10mm x 50mm (backed with 4mm foam); load: 4.9N; number of cycles: 30,000; abrasion material: cotton canvas, 30mm x 250mm. The rating criteria are as follows:

[0063] 5: No visible signs of friction

[0064] 4: Slightly visible signs of friction (base material layer not exposed)

[0065] 3: obvious signs of friction (exposed substrate layer)

[0066] 2: The base material layer is exposed a bit seriously

[0067] 1: The substrate layer is severely exposed

[0068] High heat resistance

[0069] In response to the high temperature resistance requirements of automotive interiors, heat aging tests were conducted: the materials were placed in an oven at 120 o C for 168 hours, and the product is judged to have passed the test if there is no obvious color change and no stickiness, cracking, melting or brittleness on the appearance as determined by a spectrometer.

[0070] Moisture and heat resistance

[0071] In response to the needs of automotive interiors, a humidity and heat aging test is conducted: the material is placed in a humidity and heat oven at 90 o C. Place under 95% humidity for 840 hours and use a spectrometer to determine if there is no obvious change in color and no stickiness, cracking, melting or brittleness on the surface. This is considered to have passed the test.

[0072] Drapability

[0073] Prepared with 45 o Use an inclined platform. Cut the material into 25mm x 200mm pieces and place them on the horizontal part of the platform. Place a flat plate on the material. Then move the plate horizontally toward the inclined surface at a speed of 10mm / min in a cantilever-like manner to drive the material to slide out of the inclined surface. Bend the free end of the material downward until it touches the inclined surface. Measure the length of the bent portion of the material, which is the drapability value.

Claims

1. A synthetic leather comprising substrate layer; A first polyolefin layer disposed on the substrate layer and having a Shore A hardness of about 40A to about 70A; and The second polyolefin layer is disposed on the first polyolefin layer and has a Shore A hardness of about 75A to about 98A.

2. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The substrate layer is woven fabric or non-woven fabric, and / or the substrate layer is made of polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate.

3. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The material of the first polyolefin layer and / or the second polyolefin layer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefin elastomer, dynamically vulcanized polyolefin elastomer, polyethylene, polypropylene and copolymers thereof.

4. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The melting point of the first polyolefin layer and / or the second polyolefin layer is about 130 o C to about 180 o C.

5. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The first polyolefin layer further comprises a flame retardant.

6. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The first polyolefin layer has a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, and / or the second polyolefin layer has a thickness of about 0.01 mm to about 0.1 mm.

7. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The ratio of the thickness of the first polyolefin layer to the thickness of the second polyolefin layer is about 2:1 to about 10:

1.

8. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The second polyolefin layer further comprises an abrasion resistant additive.

9. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, further comprising a surface texture layer disposed on the second polyolefin layer.

10. The synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein The surface of the second polyolefin layer has textures.

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