Biodegradable, industrially compostable, and / or reusable extruded leather-like material

Abstract

The present disclosure provides artificial leather materials that are reusable or biodegradable and / or industrially compostable, as well as methods for making the same. In some embodiments, the artificial leather of the present disclosure includes a core material and an exterior polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, the exterior polymer layer comprising or consisting of one or more bio-derived polymers. In further embodiments, the artificial leather of the present disclosure includes a core material and an exterior polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, the at least exterior polymer layer comprising or consisting of one or more recyclable polymers.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 178,199, filed April 22, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to leather-like materials made from biodegradable and / or industrially compostable materials or from reusable materials. The present disclosure also relates to methods for forming various leather-like compositions from bio-derived thermoplastics that are reusable, biodegradable, and / or industrially compostable. The leather-like materials of the present disclosure may be used, for example, but not limited to, in footwear components, clothing, upholstery, and handbags, and other accessories. [Background technology]

[0003] Artificial leathers generally consist of a combination of a nonwoven core and an outer polymer layer, with the goal of achieving an appearance, flexibility, and / or texture comparable to that of natural animal leather. Currently, almost all known artificial leathers are derived from non-renewable feedstocks, and most, if not all, are neither biodegradable nor industrially compostable. Furthermore, most existing artificial leathers cannot be easily recycled.

[0004] The most widely used material for nonwoven fiber cores for artificial leather is polyester fiber. The polyester fiber core is typically combined with one or more coatings of polyurethane or thermoplastic polyurethane as an outer material. As a result, these conventional artificial leathers are neither biodegradable nor industrially compostable, due in part to their non-biodegradable and non-industrially compostable components, but also because nonwoven and outer layers of different chemicals are combined into the same final leather-like material. Moreover, even if conventional artificial leathers contain certain materials that are biodegradable and / or recyclable, these materials cannot be easily separated from the non-biodegradable, non-recyclable components. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for producing a leather-like material composition from a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable thermoplastic resin and a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable nonwoven fiber. In various embodiments, the biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like material can be produced to have properties and characteristics similar to natural animal leather, but composed of plant-derived materials. Leather-like materials (which may also be referred to as "artificial leather" or "synthetic leather") according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be in the form of thin flexible sheets that can be used to replace animal leather or other artificial leathers, for example, in footwear (e.g., shoes, sandals, slippers, etc.), clothing (e.g., jackets, pants, belts, gloves, etc.), handbags, wallets, and upholstery (e.g., furniture, vehicle seats, etc.). Leather-like materials according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure may have properties such as feel, softness, drape, and / or sewability similar to natural leather (e.g., natural cowhide) or other artificial leathers (e.g., vinyl artificial leather). The objective of certain embodiments is to produce leather-like materials that cause the least amount of environmental harm, but also achieve important technical performance properties that are equal to or better than conventional non-biodegradable petrochemical artificial leathers or natural leathers. By selecting plant-derived feedstocks to produce biopolymers and nonwoven fibers, certain embodiments of the present disclosure can contribute to capturing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, significantly reduce dependency on petroleum, which is non-renewable, and significantly reduce the amount of non-biodegradable waste that ends up in landfills annually.

[0006] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides an artificial leather that is reusable or biodegradable and / or industrially compostable, as well as a method for making the same. In some embodiments, the artificial leather of the present disclosure includes a core material and an outer polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, where at least the outer polymer layer comprises or consists of one or more bio-derived polymers. In further embodiments, the artificial leather of the present disclosure includes a core material and an outer polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, where at least the outer polymer layer comprises or consists of one or more reusable polymers. In some embodiments, the core material also comprises or consists of a reusable or biodegradable and / or industrially compostable material. The core material may be a nonwoven fibrous sheet, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the artificial leather produced according to the present disclosure may be fully biodegradable and / or industrially compostable. In some embodiments, the artificial leather produced according to the present disclosure may be fully reusable.

[0007] In some embodiments, the biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like material of the present disclosure comprises a nonwoven core layer and a polymer layer disposed on a surface of the nonwoven core layer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer comprises or consists of a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer has a surface pattern or texture that resembles the pattern or texture of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the polymer layer is made from one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the nonwoven core layer comprises a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable material. In some embodiments, the nonwoven core layer comprises cellulose-derived fibers (e.g., lyocell), natural plant fibers (e.g., cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, etc.), and / or one or more biodegradable and / or industrially compostable polymers. In some embodiments, the nonwoven core layer is or comprises a blend of one or more natural fibers (e.g., natural plant fibers) and one or more biodegradable and / or industrially compostable polymers (e.g., PBAT and / or PLA).

[0008] In some embodiments, a method for producing a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like material includes providing a thermoplastic biopolymer and a bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet, the thermoplastic biopolymer and the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet being biodegradable and / or industrially compostable, feeding the thermoplastic biopolymer into a mixer to produce a molten biopolymer material, coating one or more surfaces of the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten biopolymer material, the molten biopolymer material forming an outer polymer layer adhered to the one or more surfaces of the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet, and patterning (e.g., embossing) the outer polymer layer to create a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer. In some embodiments, the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles the pattern or texture of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic biopolymer comprises or consists of one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or combinations thereof.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method further comprises feeding the molten biopolymer material to a first mixing roller, and feeding the molten biopolymer material from the first mixing roller to a filter. In some embodiments, the method comprises feeding the molten biopolymer material from the filter to a calender where the molten biopolymer material is coated onto a surface of the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, the method comprises cooling the outer polymer layer adhered to the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, cooling the outer polymer layer adhered to the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

[0010] In some embodiments, the reusable leather-like material includes a nonwoven core layer and a polymer layer disposed on a surface of the nonwoven core layer, the polymer layer comprising or consisting of a reusable polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer has a surface pattern or texture that resembles the pattern or texture of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the nonwoven core layer also comprises or consists of a reusable polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer and / or the nonwoven core layer may comprise, for example, polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6, polyamide 6 / 6-6, polyamide 12, or blends containing one or more of these.

[0011] In some embodiments, a method for producing a reusable leather-like material includes providing a thermoplastic polymer and a nonwoven fibrous sheet, the thermoplastic polymer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet being comprised of one or more reusable polymeric materials; feeding the thermoplastic polymer into a mixer to produce a molten polymeric material; coating one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten polymeric material, the molten polymeric material forming an outer polymeric layer adhered to the one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fibrous sheet; and patterning (e.g., embossing) the outer polymeric layer to create a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymeric layer. In some embodiments, the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymeric layer resembles the pattern or texture of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic polymer comprises or consists of one or more of polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6, polyamide 6 / 6-6, polyamide 12, or blends containing one or more of these.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method for producing a reusable leather-like material further comprises feeding the molten polymeric material to a first mixing roller, and feeding the molten polymeric material from the first mixing roller to a filter. In some embodiments, the method comprises feeding the molten polymeric material from the filter to a calender where the molten polymeric material is coated onto a surface of a nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, the method further comprises cooling the outer polymeric layer adhered to the nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, cooling the outer polymeric layer adhered to the nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymeric layer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

[0013] The present disclosure further provides products made from or including reusable or biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like materials made according to any of the embodiments described herein. These products may include, but are not necessarily limited to, footwear (e.g., shoe) components or other garments, fashion accessories, belts, bags, wallets, vehicle interiors, seats or other furniture, etc. For example, in some embodiments, shoe components (e.g., shoe uppers, insoles, midsoles, or outsoles) may be made from one or more of the reusable or biodegradable / industrially compostable leather-like materials described herein. The reusable or biodegradable / industrially compostable leather-like materials according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may be used as a replacement for any other artificial or natural leather materials known in the art.

[0014] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description, and from the appended claims. The above summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in different forms and therefore should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments shown herein. The accompanying drawings may not be drawn to scale. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an artificial leather material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view illustrating an artificial leather material according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for forming an artificial leather material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] 3A-3C are photographs illustrating examples of artificial leather materials made according to embodiments of the present disclosure: Figure 3A shows the sample material before embossing. [Figure 3B] 3A-3C are photographs showing examples of artificial leather materials made according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG 3B shows the sample material after embossing. [Figure 3C] 3A-3C are photographs showing examples of artificial leather materials produced according to embodiments of the present disclosure, with Fig. 3C being a side view of the sample shown in Fig. 3A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] 1A shows a generalized cross-sectional view of an artificial leather 100 according to one particular embodiment. The artificial leather 100 may be formed as a flexible sheet material that can be cut, shaped, and sized for use in products in place of natural and / or other artificial leathers. For example, the artificial leather 100 may be used specifically for footwear (e.g., shoe) components or other garments, fashion accessories, belts, bags, wallets, vehicle interiors, seats or other furniture, and the like.

[0017] In some embodiments, the artificial leather 100 of the present disclosure includes a core layer 102 and an outer polymer layer 104 disposed on at least one side or surface of the core layer 102. As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, both sides or surfaces of the core layer 102 may be covered by the outer polymer layer 104, such that, for example, the core layer 102 is sandwiched between the outer polymer layers 104. The relative thicknesses of the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104 are not necessarily drawn to scale. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is a flexible sheet material and the outer polymer layer 104 is provided as a coating on one or more surfaces of the core layer 102. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is in the form of a film. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is in the form of a solid open-cell or closed-cell foam layer. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is a fabric. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is or includes a nonwoven fabric, and the outer polymer layer 104 is a coating provided on one or more sides of the nonwoven fabric. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fabric (sometimes referred to herein as a "nonwoven fiber core") includes randomly oriented (e.g., entangled) fibers or filaments that may be consolidated, for example, by friction and / or bonding and / or adhesion. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 alone may have a non-uniform fibrous appearance. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is manufactured by bundling fibers together into a sheet or web that is subsequently mechanically or thermally bonded with an adhesive. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 may be manufactured, for example, by a meltblown process, a spunbond process, or a combination of the two. As used herein according to some embodiments, nonwoven fabric does not include materials that are formed, for example, from weaving or knitting.

[0018] The outer polymer layer 104, in some embodiments, may be applied in a fluid state to a surface of the core layer 102 via a coating process (e.g., spray coating, knife coating, roll coating, etc.). In other embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may be formed separately from the core layer 102, and the two layers are subsequently glued or bonded together to form the artificial leather 100. In some embodiments, a layer of adhesive material may be disposed between the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104. In some embodiments, no adhesive material or other layer is disposed between the core layer and the outer polymer layer 104. In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 is applied directly onto one or more surfaces of the core layer 102. In some embodiments, the artificial leather 100 consists only of the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104.

[0019] The outer polymer layer 104 includes an outer surface 106 facing away from the core layer 102, which in some embodiments may have a pattern or texture that simulates natural animal leather or hide. For example, the outer polymer layer 104 may be molded, embossed, or otherwise patterned such that the outer surface 106 includes a pattern or texture that simulates the pattern or texture ("grain") of mammalian leather (e.g., cowhide, goat leather, sheep leather, kangaroo leather), avian leather (e.g., owl leather), reptile leather (e.g., alligator leather, crocodile leather, snakeskin leather), fish leather (e.g., ray leather), or other known animal leathers. However, it should be understood that the materials selected to form the artificial leather 100 according to the preferred embodiment are not actually of animal origin. In some embodiments where the artificial leather 100 includes two outer polymer layers 104 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1B), only one or both of the outer polymer layers 104 may have an outer surface 106 that is patterned or textured to simulate natural animal leather or hide.

[0020] The artificial leather 100 may have a thickness T of less than 10 mm, e.g., less than 9 mm, less than 8 mm, less than 7 mm, less than 6 mm, less than 5 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, or less than 1 mm. T may refer to the combined thickness of the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104. In some embodiments, the thickness T may be in the range of 1 mm to 8 mm, e.g., 2 mm to 6 mm or 3 mm to 5 mm. Since the surface of the artificial leather 100 may be uneven, in some embodiments, the thickness T may refer to the maximum thickness of the artificial leather 100. In other embodiments, the thickness T may refer to the average thickness of the artificial leather 100. In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may be thinner than the core layer 102. In other embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the core layer 102. In further embodiments, the artificial leather 100 fabric weight is about 100 grams per square meter (g / m 2 or "GSM") ~ approx. 600g / m 2 , preferably about 300 g / m 2 ~about 500g / m 2 It is.

[0021] As discussed further herein, the materials for the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104, in some embodiments, include or consist of biodegradable and / or industrially compostable materials. In some embodiments, the materials for the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104 include or consist of recyclable materials. In certain preferred embodiments, the core layer 102 and / or the outer polymer layer 104 do not include or consist of polyurethane. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 and / or the outer polymer layer 104 do not include or consist of chemical crosslinkers. Chemical crosslinking may prevent or hinder the ability of the material to be biodegraded, composted, and / or recycled, and therefore such crosslinking should be avoided in certain embodiments. For example, crosslinking may be represented as the formation of covalent bonds that hold portions of multiple polymer chains together. The result is a random three-dimensional network of interconnected chains within the material. This crosslinked material cannot be easily uncrosslinked, and therefore the various precursor components cannot be easily separated back into their individual forms or biodegraded or composted.

[0022] As used herein, "biodegradable" generally refers to the ability to be broken down by biological processes, particularly by microorganisms. In some embodiments, materials and foams described in this disclosure as being biodegradable and / or industrially compostable meet or exceed the requirements set forth in at least one of the following standards: European Standard EN 13432, ASTM D6400, or Australian Standard AS 4736. In some embodiments, materials described in this disclosure as being biodegradable and / or industrially compostable meet or exceed the requirements set forth in at least European Standard EN 13432. In some embodiments, materials described in this disclosure as being industrially compostable are configured to exhibit at least 60% biodegradation (at least 60% of the material must be degraded by biological processes) within 180 days of composting in a commercial composting unit. In some embodiments, the materials and foams described in this disclosure as being industrially compostable are configured to exhibit at least 90% biodegradation within 180 days of composting in a commercial composting unit.

[0023] In some embodiments, the term "recyclable" may generally mean that a material or product can be recovered, separated, or otherwise removed from a waste stream for reuse or for use in the manufacture or assembly of another item. In some embodiments, polymers and foams described in this disclosure as being recyclable mean that the component materials can be recovered, for example, by mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and / or biological or organic recycling. In some embodiments, polymers and materials described in this disclosure as being recyclable mean that the component materials can be recovered using standard plastic recycling methods, for example, as set forth in ISO 15270:2008. In some embodiments, recycled materials, foams, and / or products described herein may be manufactured in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Textile Exchange Recycled Claim Standard 2.0 (RCS, July 1, 2017) and / or the Textile Exchange Global Recycle Standard 4.0 (GRS, July 1, 2017).

[0024] Biodegradable and / or industrially compostable materials In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides artificial leather (which may also be referred to as a "leather-like" material) that is biodegradable and / or industrially compostable, preferably both. Leather-like materials according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be configured for industrial composting rather than home composting. Industrial composting is performed in large-scale facilities, for example at temperatures between 55°C and 60°C. In contrast, home composting refers to composting at low temperatures, such as those found in backyard compost piles, and is therefore referred to as "home". In some embodiments, being industrially compostable rather than home compostable helps ensure that the leather-like material will last for the useful life of the product it is functionalized as a result of, and will not degrade or break down during use in the final product. For example, it would be detrimental for a person to purchase a pair of shoes made from the leather-like material of the present disclosure, only for the leather-like material to degrade during normal use before the useful life of the shoes.

[0025] In some embodiments, the creation of a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like outer layer (e.g., outer polymer layer 104 in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B) begins with providing a suitable polymer or a blend of suitable polymers. The suitable polymer, in certain preferred embodiments, is a bio-derived polymer (also referred to as a "biopolymer"). As used herein, the term "bio-derived polymer" or "biopolymer" may be used to mean a polymer obtained from a biological source (e.g., a plant, algae, fungus, microorganism, etc.) or a polymer made from a precursor material (e.g., a monomer) obtained from a biological source. One non-limiting example of a biopolymer suitable for use in the biodegradable and / or industrially compostable artificial leather of the present disclosure is or includes bio-derived poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), such as bio-derived PBAT manufactured by Novamont SpA, Novara, Italy. The bio-based PBAT is both biodegradable and industrially compostable, and the precursors of the polymer, i.e., azelaic acid and bio-based biobutanediol (bio-BDO), account for the primary bio-based nature of the polymer. The thermoplastic biopolymer resins described above have demonstrated advantageous technical properties for forming optimal leather-like structures according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Some of these technical properties include, for example, exceptional aging resistance, exceptional elongation, and tensile strength, among other benefits.

[0026] In some embodiments, the thermoplastic biopolymers or thermoplastic biopolymer blends used in the production of biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like materials may be made from a number of aliphatic and aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, etc. Additionally, non-limiting examples of suitable biopolymers useful for making biopolymer blends include polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), and polybutylene adipate (PBA).

[0027] Depending on the application, additives may also be used in the biopolymer formulation. For example, oligomeric poly(aspartic acid-co-lactide) (PAL) may be incorporated into the masterbatch as desired to promote degradation. In addition, fillers such as precipitated calcium carbonate from aragonite, starch, etc. may be used to reduce cost while maintaining the renewable and biodegradable integrity of the final artificial leather. In some embodiments, one or more pigments or dyes may be included to provide a desired color to the outer polymer layer.

[0028] The optimal biopolymer outer structure alone cannot produce a leather-like material without a suitable core layer (e.g., core layer 102). As discussed, the core layer is, in some embodiments, a nonwoven fabric. In some embodiments, to achieve the most optimal biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material, a bio-based nonwoven fiber core is selected that closely matches the biodegradable and industrially compostable criteria of the outer structure.

[0029] In some embodiments, the nonwoven fiber core (e.g., core layer 102) is made from the same material as that selected for the outer polymer layer (e.g., outer polymer layer 104). In other embodiments, the nonwoven fiber core is made from a material different from that selected for the outer polymer layer. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fiber core comprises or consists of bio-derived fibers, e.g., plant fibers. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fiber core for biodegradable and / or industrially compostable artificial leather is or comprises Lyocell, a form of rayon, a cellulose-derived fiber. In other embodiments, the nonwoven core is or comprises biodegradable cotton. Still further, blends of natural fibers (e.g., cotton) with PBAT and / or PLA may be used for the nonwoven fiber core. For example, the nonwoven core may be made in some embodiments by using two or more different types of plant fibers (e.g., sorghum, rice, corn, and soybean) as filler fibers and polylactic acid (PLA) and / or poly(adipic acid) / polybutylene terephthalate (PBAT) as carrier polymers to make the nonwoven core. Other plant fibers (e.g., flax, hemp, etc.) may also be used in the nonwoven core, alone or in combination. Still further, in some embodiments, the core nonwoven material may be a blend of only extruded fibers from polylactic acid (PLA) and PBAT, such that the outer polymer layer and the core material polymer are the same or similar in structure, and therefore have the same or similar suitable end-of-life solutions (e.g., similar biodegradation profiles).

[0030] reusable materials In further embodiments, the present disclosure describes reusable leather-like materials and methods for their manufacture. The leather-like materials may be non-breathable or breathable (e.g., perforated to allow air to pass through the material). The manufacture of reusable leather-like structures begins with a suitable high performance polymer, such as those derived from polyether block amide (PEBA). A non-limiting example of a suitable polymer is polyether block amide (PEBA), available under the trade name NYFLEX from Nylon Corporation of America, Manchester, NH. Other non-limiting examples of suitable polymers include numerous polyamide block copolymers, such as PAE, TPA, TPE-A, COPA, etc. The thermoplastic polymers described above have demonstrated advantageous technical properties for forming the optimal leather-like structures of the present invention. Some of the improved technical properties include excellent aging resistance, excellent elongation, and tensile strength, among other benefits.

[0031] In further embodiments, recycled feedstocks can be used to make suitable recyclable polymers or polymer blends of the present invention. For example, in one aspect, the recyclable flexible foam thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one monomer or polymer derived from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled feedstocks, such as caprolactam, recycled polyether block amide polymers, etc. Illustratively, caprolactam can be derived from such recycled feedstocks by depolymerizing industrial or post-consumer waste containing polyamide, such as fishing nets, carpet fibers, or industrial waste. Some examples of depolymerized post-consumer or post-industrial recycled caprolactam include ECONYL® caprolactam, which can be flake, liquid, or melt, supplied by Aquafil USA Inc., Cartersville, Georgia. The thermoplastic polymer can additionally or alternatively comprise polyamide polymer derived from post-industrial or post-consumer polyamide carpet fibers that have been recovered, sorted, melted, and reprocessed. One example of this is the use of post-industrial polyamide carpet fibers and the like that are salvaged, sorted, melted, and reprocessed into upcycled, usable polyamide materials. An exemplary polyamide polymer derived from post-industrial carpet fibers is Econyl, manufactured by Aquafil USA Inc., Cartersville, Georgia. Additionally, polyamide waste can be collected from oceans and surrounding areas around the world in the form of fishing nets and the like that can then be sorted, melted, and reprocessed into upcycled, usable polyamide materials. An exemplary polyamide polymer derived from salvaged post-industrial fishing nets is Akulon Repurposed, manufactured by Koninklijke DSM NV, Heerlen, the Netherlands. An objective of certain embodiments is to use as much recycled polymer feedstock as possible.

[0032] The thermoplastic polymer used in the manufacture of reusable artificial leather may be made of a number of flexible polyamides or polyamide copolymers, etc., as desired, according to certain embodiments. Non-limiting examples of suitable polymers include polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6, polyamide 6 / 6-6, and polyamide 12. Any type of suitable polymer may be used in the present invention, provided that it meets the very stringent requirements of low hardness, moderate melt flow, high elongation, and above all, 100% recyclability.

[0033] A reusable material suitable for the outer polymer layer 104 alone cannot produce a reusable leather-like material without a suitable nonwoven fiber core (e.g., core layer 102). To achieve an optimal recycled and reusable leather-like material for the present invention described above, a reusable nonwoven fiber core is selected that closely matches the recycled and / or reusable criteria of the outer structure for forming in the leather-like material production method. In some embodiments, both the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fiber core, the reusable nonwoven fiber core, may be made from any of the reusable materials described above and herein. In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fiber core are made from the same reusable material (e.g., ECONYL® caprolactam). In other embodiments, the outer polymer layer is made from a first reusable material and the nonwoven fiber core is made from a second reusable material that is different from the first reusable material. In some embodiments, artificial leather according to certain embodiments is configured such that the outer polymer layer can be separated from the nonwoven fiber core by methods known in the art. In some embodiments, separation of the outer polymeric layer from the nonwoven fibrous core may allow each of these components to be recycled separately.

[0034] In addition, in some embodiments, a combination of desirable properties can be obtained at a lower cost by blending two or more recyclable thermoplastic polymers, rather than a single polymer. There are numerous ways to successfully blend polymers together. For example, one method can be to melt two or more polymer resins together using a twin-screw extrusion. This polymer resin blend is then extruded into a strand, cooled, and fed into a granulator to produce a group of pellet pieces called a masterbatch. Another method of blending polymer resins is to use a compatibilizer to bind together different chemistries in the polymer blend. This can be to melt together a compatibilizer and two or more polymers in the non-limiting thermoplastic polymer types mentioned above, such as using a twin-screw extrusion.

[0035] Artificial leather manufacturing method According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a suitable thermoplastic biopolymer is provided for the creation of the outer polymer layer 104, followed by selection of a suitable nonwoven fibrous core (e.g., core layer 102) of biodegradable and / or industrially compostable origin, and controlled extrusion, mixing, and calendaring to form a desired leather-like material.

[0036] In some embodiments, a method for producing a biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material includes the steps of making a suitable thermoplastic biopolymer, making a suitable bio-based nonwoven fiber core, forming the leather-like material through the operations of mixing, filtering, calendaring, embossing, cooling, and winding.

[0037] In some embodiments, a forming method is used to produce a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable artificial leather, in which a suitable biopolymer or biopolymer blend (e.g., one or more of the thermoplastic biopolymers mentioned above) is selected and then fed into a mixer, e.g., a Banbury mixer. Following initial mixing, the thermoplastic biopolymer material, now in a semi-molten state, is fed into a first mixing roller and then into a filter. Following appropriate filtering, the thermoplastic biopolymer material, now in a semi-molten state, is fed into a second mixing roller and then into a calendering machine, where it is coated as an outer layer onto a nonwoven fiber core. The nonwoven fiber core should also, according to certain embodiments, comprise or consist of a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable material. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic biopolymer is coated directly onto the nonwoven fiber core without the need for any additional adhesive or binder. The now bonded thermoplastic biopolymer and nonwoven fiber core are fed through various cooling rollers and an embossing machine, and then into a winder to complete the now fully formed leather-like material. In further embodiments, the forming method may include one or more of casting, film blowing, coating, and the like.

[0038] In some embodiments, without limiting the disclosure herein, a manufacturing method for producing a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like material may include one or more of the following steps: 1. A suitable thermoplastic is selected and then fed into a mixer, for example a Banbury mixer. 2. Following initial mixing, the thermoplastic biopolymer material, now in a semi-molten state, is fed to a first mixing roller and then to a strainer. 3. Following appropriate filtration, the thermoplastic biopolymer material in a semi-molten state is fed to a second mixing roller and then to a calender where it is coated as an outer surface onto a nonwoven fibrous core. 4. At this point the bonded thermoplastic biopolymer nonwoven is fed through various cooling rollers and an embossing machine before being fed to a winder to complete the now fully formed leather-like material.

[0039] In some embodiments, the method for forming the reusable artificial leather material may include steps similar to the above-mentioned methods for producing biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like materials, except that a reusable polymer or a blend of reusable polymers (e.g., as described above) is used in place of the thermoplastic biopolymer. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, a nonwoven fiber core made of reusable materials is preferably used to form the reusable artificial leather.

[0040] In some embodiments, a forming method is used to produce reusable artificial leather, in which a suitable reusable polymer or reusable polymer blend (e.g., one or more of the reusable polymers mentioned above) is selected and then fed into a mixer, e.g., a Banbury mixer. Following initial mixing, the reusable thermoplastic polymer material, now in a semi-molten state, is fed into a first mixing roller and then into a filter. Following appropriate filtering, the reusable thermoplastic polymer material, now in a semi-molten state, is fed into a second mixing roller and then into a calendering machine, where it is coated as an outer layer onto a nonwoven fiber core. The nonwoven fiber core should also comprise or consist of a reusable material, according to certain embodiments. In some embodiments, the reusable thermoplastic biopolymer is coated directly onto the nonwoven fiber core, without the need for any additional adhesive or binder. The reusable thermoplastic polymer and the nonwoven fiber core, now bonded, are fed through various cooling rollers and an embossing machine, and then into a winder to complete the leather-like material, now in a fully formed state. In further embodiments, the forming method may include one or more of casting, film blowing, coating, and the like.

[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates an example system 200 that may be used to manufacture an artificial leather material according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, raw thermoplastic polymer material (e.g., biodegradable / industrially compostable biopolymers and / or recyclable polymers as discussed above) is fed into a mixer 202, e.g., a Banbury mixer. The raw thermoplastic polymer material may be fed into the mixer 202 in the form of, for example, pellets. Following initial mixing, the thermoplastic polymer material, now in a semi-molten state, is fed into a first mixing roller 204 and then into a strainer 206. Following appropriate filtering by the strainer 206, the thermoplastic polymer material in a semi-molten state is fed into a second mixing roller 208 and then into a calender 210 where it is coated as an outer layer onto a non-woven fiber core. The now bonded thermoplastic polymer and non-woven fiber core are fed through various cooling rollers 212 and then into a winder 214 to complete the now fully formed artificial leather material.

[0042] 3A-3C show examples of materials made according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A shows the sample material before embossing. FIG. 3B shows a sample with an outer polymer layer that has been embossed to have a leather-like pattern. In both samples, the outer polymer has already been saturated and / or coated onto or into the nonwoven core layer. FIG. 3C is a side view of the sample shown in FIG. 3A. The samples were approximately 400 g / m 2 ~about 500g / m 2 The fabric weight is

[0043] Although some embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims. It is understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. It should also be apparent that individual elements identified herein as belonging to a particular embodiment may be included in other embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, and composition of matter, means, methods, and steps described herein. Those skilled in the art can readily understand from the disclosure herein that any process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, or steps now existing or later developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiment described herein may be used in accordance with the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. A method for producing a biodegradable and / or industrially compostable leather-like material, said method comprising the steps of: Providing a thermoplastic biopolymer and a bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet, the thermoplastic biopolymer and the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet being made of biodegradable and / or industrially compostable materials; feeding said thermoplastic biopolymer into a mixer to create a molten biopolymer material; coating a surface of the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten biopolymer material, the molten biopolymer material forming an outer polymer layer adhered to the surface of the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet; embossing the outer polymer layer to create a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer; A method comprising:

2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic biopolymer comprises one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or combinations thereof.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising feeding the molten biopolymer material to a first mixing roller, and feeding the molten biopolymer material from the first mixing roller to a strainer.

4. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising feeding the molten biopolymer material from the filter to a calender where the molten biopolymer material is coated onto the face of the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet.

5. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising cooling the outer polymer layer adhered to the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet.

6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein cooling the outer polymer layer adhered to the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the bio-based nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

7. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymeric layer resembles the pattern or texture of natural animal leather.

8. A biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material produced by the method of claim 1 or 2.

9. A shoe component comprising the biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material of claim 8.

10. A nonwoven core layer; a polymer layer disposed on one or more sides of the nonwoven core layer, the polymer layer comprising one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or combinations thereof; A biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material comprising:

11. 1. A method for producing a reusable leather-like material, the method comprising: Providing a thermoplastic polymer and a nonwoven fibrous sheet, the thermoplastic polymer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet being comprised of one or more recyclable polymeric materials; feeding said thermoplastic polymer into a mixer to create a molten polymer material; coating a surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten polymeric material, the molten polymeric material forming an outer polymeric layer adhered to the surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet; embossing the outer polymer layer to create a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer; A method comprising:

12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises one or more of polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6, polyamide 6 / 6-6, polyamide 12, or blends containing one or more of the foregoing.

13. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, further comprising feeding the molten polymeric material to a first mixing roller, and feeding the molten polymeric material from the first mixing roller to a strainer.

14. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising feeding the molten polymeric material from the filter to a calender where the molten polymeric material is coated onto the face of the nonwoven fibrous sheet.

15. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, further comprising cooling the outer polymeric layer adhered to the nonwoven fibrous sheet.

16. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein cooling the outer polymer layer adhered to the nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

17. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymeric layer resembles the pattern or texture of natural animal leather.

18. A reusable leather-like material produced by the method according to claim 11 or 12.

19. A shoe component comprising the reusable leather-like material of claim 18.

20. A nonwoven core layer; a polymer layer disposed on one or more sides of the nonwoven core layer, the polymer layer comprising polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6, polyamide 6 / 6-6, polyamide 12, or a blend containing one or more of the foregoing; A reusable leather-like material comprising:

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