Skin material

Abstract

To provide a skin material which is excellent in abrasion resistance, and prevents deterioration of appearance quality even when the skin material is rubbed.SOLUTION: A skin material including a fiber sheet, and a resin layer (first resin layer) on the whole surface of one main surface in the fiber sheet is excellent in abrasion resistance, and prevents deterioration of appearance quality even when the skin material is rubbed, by providing another resin layer (second resin layer) on the first resin layer, instead of increase in the amount of a resin constituting the first resin layer, and adopting a resin having Asker C hardness lower than that of the resin constituting the first resin layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a skin material that can be used for vehicle interior materials such as ceiling materials, door trims, dash outers, pillar garnishes, partitions, wallpapers, etc. In particular, it relates to a skin material that can be suitably used as a vehicle interior material provided at locations prone to friction, such as door trims, dash outers, and pillar garnishes.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a skin material provided with a non-woven fabric has been used as a material for constituting a skin material that can be used for vehicle interior materials, partitions, wallpapers, etc. Further, in order to prevent deterioration of the skin material due to friction, wear resistance is required for the skin material.

[0003] The applicant of the present application proposed, as a skin material excellent in wear resistance, "a skin material characterized in that, in a base mat in which constituent fibers are adhered to each other by a binder, the abundance of the binder on one main surface A side is larger than that on the other main surface B side, and the entire surface on the one main surface A of the base mat has a resin layer." (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The skin material disclosed in Patent Document 1 had a resin layer on the entire surface of the base mat constituting the skin material, and thus was indeed a skin material with excellent abrasion resistance. However, when it was provided in places where friction was likely to occur, such as door trims, dash outers, and pillar garnishes, fuzzing might occur and the abrasion resistance was not sufficient. On the other hand, when the amount of the resin layer was increased to further improve the abrasion resistance of the skin material, the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet were protected by the resin layer present in a large amount, and the occurrence of fuzzing could be suppressed. However, due to the large amount of the resin layer present, when the resin layer on the main surface of the skin material was rubbed, a large amount of the resin layer was easily scraped off and fell off, resulting in whitening of the resin layer and inferior appearance quality of the skin material in some cases. In particular, the problem that whitening occurred in the resin layer and the appearance quality of the skin material was inferior became a major problem in the skin material provided with a pattern between the base mat and the resin layer. That is, the occurrence of whitening in the resin layer made the appearance and color development of the pattern unclear, which was the cause of a significant decrease in the design quality of the skin material.

[0006] The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a skin material that is excellent in abrasion resistance and is less likely to have inferior appearance quality even when the skin material is rubbed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is “a skin material having a fiber sheet and a resin layer laminate in which a plurality of resin layers are laminated on the entire surface of one main surface of the fiber sheet, wherein in the resin layer laminate, the resin constituting the second resin layer that exists on the side opposite to the fiber sheet with respect to the first resin layer and exists on the surface of the skin material has a lower Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the first resin layer that is in contact with the fiber sheet.”

[0008] The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is “the skin material according to claim 1, wherein the Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the second resin layer is less than 72.”

[0009] The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is "the skin material according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the fiber sheet has a pattern on the main surface on the side where the first resin layer is present."

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] As a result of investigations, the applicant of the present application has found that for a fiber sheet and a skin material provided with a resin layer (first resin layer) on the entire surface of one main surface of the fiber sheet, · Instead of increasing the amount of the resin constituting the first resin layer, providing another resin layer (second resin layer) on the first resin layer, and · As the resin constituting the second resin layer, adopting a resin having a lower Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the first resin layer, it has been found that a skin material excellent in wear resistance and hardly inferior in appearance quality even when the skin material is rubbed can be provided.

[0011] This is considered to be because the following operational effects are exhibited. The applicant of the present application compared the portion where the hard resin layer was rubbed and scraped with the portion where the soft resin layer was rubbed and scraped, and found that the portion where the soft resin layer was rubbed and scraped was less likely to cause diffuse reflection of light when light hit it, and the resin layer (the surface of the skin material) was less likely to turn white. That is, when a soft second resin layer exists on the surface of the skin material (that is, the exposed main surface of the skin material) on the side opposite to the fiber sheet with respect to the first resin layer, it has been found that the surface of the skin material is less likely to turn white even when the main surface of the skin material (second resin layer) is rubbed. Therefore, by providing a second resin layer on the first resin layer and adopting, as the resin constituting the second resin layer, a resin having a lower Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the first resin layer, when an external force acts when the main surface of the surface is rubbed, it is possible to prevent the resin layer (second resin layer) existing on the main surface from turning white more than a skin material in which only a large amount of the first fiber layer exists on the main surface. As a result, it is possible to provide a surface material in which the appearance quality of the skin material is prevented from deteriorating. In addition, in the surface material according to the present invention, not only the first resin layer but also the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet are protected by many resin layers such as the first resin layer and the second resin layer. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a surface material with suppressed generation of fuzz and excellent abrasion resistance.

[0012] The skin material according to claim 2 of the present invention is characterized in that the Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the second resin layer is less than 72. Since the surface of the skin material is soft, it is possible to provide a surface material in which whitening hardly occurs in the resin layer and the appearance quality of the skin material is prevented from being inferior.

[0013] The skin material according to claim 3 of the present invention has a pattern on the main surface of the fiber sheet constituting the skin material on the side where the first resin layer exists. Since whitening hardly occurs in the resin layer of the skin material according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a surface material in which the color development and pattern of the pattern are less likely to become unclear and the appearance quality of the skin material is prevented from being inferior.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] The fiber sheet constituting the skin material of the present invention refers to a sheet-like fiber structure such as a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or a non-woven fabric. In particular, when the fiber sheet constituting the present invention is a non-woven fabric, it is flexible and easy to follow the shape of the mold, so that it is possible to provide a skin material excellent in molding processability, which is preferable.

[0016] The constituent fibers of the fiber sheet in the present invention are not particularly limited, and for example, they can be polyester fibers, nylon fibers, acrylic fibers, vinylon fibers, rayon fibers, etc. Among these, it is preferable to include polyester fibers excellent in heat resistance, light resistance, stain resistance, etc., and / or rayon fibers excellent in flame retardancy. Further, the constituent fibers may be single fibers or composite fibers containing two or more kinds of resins such as core-sheath type or side-by-side type. For example, when using latent crimp fibers (such as side-by-side type composite fibers), the fibers exhibit crimp due to heat, and by using the fibers in which crimp has occurred, the structure of the fiber sheet becomes dense and it is preferable because of excellent abrasion resistance. Furthermore, the cross-section of the constituent fibers may be circular or may have an irregular shape such as an ellipse, a square, or a Y-shaped cross-section. In addition, fibrillated fibers may be included.

[0017] Note that, as described later, when performing thermocompression bonding during the production of the fiber sheet, in order to improve abrasion resistance and to form a distinct pattern on the skin material, it is preferable that the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet include polyester drawn staple fibers having a dry heat shrinkage rate of 4% or more (preferably 4.5 to 20%, more preferably 5 to 10%). This "dry heat shrinkage rate" refers to a value measured in accordance with JIS L1015 (2010) 8.15b) dry heat dimensional change rate, except that the initial load is 1.3 mg and the condition is to leave it at a temperature of 140°C for 10 minutes.

[0018] The constituent fibers may be colored. When the constituent fibers are colored, original-dyed fibers in which the fibers themselves contain pigments and / or dyes in the constituent resin may be used, or fibers colored with pigments and / or dyes may be used. However, since the fibers are less likely to fade due to friction, it is preferable to use original-dyed fibers.

[0019] The fiber length of the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet in the present invention is appropriately adjusted. However, in order to obtain a fiber sheet with excellent formability, the fiber length of the constituent fibers is preferably 38 to 114 mm, more preferably 38 to 76 mm, and even more preferably 38 to 52 mm. This "fiber length" refers to the value measured in accordance with JIS L1015 (2010) 8.4.1C) direct method (method C).

[0020] Also, the fineness of the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet in the present invention is appropriately adjusted. However, if the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet are too thick, it tends to be difficult for the surface of the fiber sheet to be smooth. When a resin layer laminate is provided on a non-smooth fiber sheet, the resin constituting the resin layer laminate is likely to be caught by friction, and the wear resistance tends to deteriorate. On the other hand, if the fibers are too thin, lint balls are likely to occur during the production of the fiber sheet, and the productivity tends to deteriorate. Therefore, the fineness of the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet is preferably 0.2 to 6.6 dtex, more preferably 0.8 to 4.4 dtex, and even more preferably 1.0 to 3.3 dtex.

[0021] The skin material of the present invention may be a fiber sheet composed of a single fiber layer or a fiber sheet composed of a plurality of laminated fiber layers. The fiber sheet composed of a plurality of laminated fiber layers may be laminated with fiber layers having the same fiber composition or fiber layers having different fiber compositions. Among these, a fiber sheet composed of a single fiber layer is preferable because it can provide a skin material with excellent formability without delamination between layers during the forming process.

[0022] The fiber sheet of the present invention is preferably such that the constituent fibers are adhered to each other by a binder, because the bond between the constituent fibers becomes strong and the skin material has excellent wear resistance. Examples of the mode in which the constituent fibers are adhered to each other by a binder include a mode in which the binder adheres to the intersections of the constituent fibers and the binder adheres the constituent fibers to each other, and a mode in which a film-like binder exists between the fibers and adheres.

[0023] The type of binder used in the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately adjusted. For example, polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, or polyester resins can be mentioned. Among these, acrylic resins (especially self-crosslinking acrylic resins) are preferable because they soften moderately during molding, have excellent followability to the mold, and are less likely to generate wrinkles or fine irregularities. Among acrylic resins, those with a low glass transition temperature and a soft texture are suitable because they are easy to stretch and have excellent moldability. On the other hand, if the glass transition temperature of the acrylic resin is too low, although the adhesive strength of the binder is improved, the breaking strength of the binder resin is inferior, resulting in poor wear resistance. Therefore, the glass transition temperature is preferably -40°C or higher and 10°C or lower, more preferably -20°C or higher and 5°C or lower, and even more preferably -10°C or higher and 5°C or lower. The "glass transition temperature" in the present invention refers to the temperature at the intersection of the tangent line of the baseline in the DTA curve measured by a differential thermal analyzer (DTA) and the tangent line of the steep descent position of the endothermic region due to the glass transition.

[0024] It is preferable that the amount of the binder present on one main surface A side of the fiber sheet constituting the skin material of the present invention is larger than that on the other main surface B side. In the present invention, the "amount of the binder present on the main surface A side (or main surface B side)" means the amount of the binder in the region from the main surface A (or main surface B) of the fiber sheet to 20% of the thickness of the entire fiber sheet. With this configuration, on the main surface A side of the fiber sheet, the surface tends to be smoothed by the binder. By providing a resin layer laminate on the smooth surface of the fiber sheet, the unevenness on the surface of the skin material is reduced, and the resin constituting the resin layer is less likely to be caught by friction, resulting in excellent wear resistance. In addition, since the constituent fibers on the main surface B side are not strongly adhered by the binder and are more movable compared to the main surface A side, a skin material with excellent molding processability can be provided. In addition, for the region from the main surface A (or main surface B) of the fiber sheet to 20% of the thickness of the entire fiber sheet, the fiber sheet is frozen and cut in the thickness direction, a photograph of the exposed cross-section is taken, and the length (length in the thickness direction) between both main surfaces of the fiber sheet in this photograph is defined as the "thickness of the entire fiber sheet". It can be confirmed as the region up to a virtual plane (a straight line in the cross-sectional photograph) spaced in the thickness direction by a length corresponding to 20% of the "thickness of the entire fiber sheet" from the main surface A (or main surface B) of the fiber sheet. As a method for confirming the amount of the binder present, for example, the binder contained in the fiber sheet is colored with a dye such as Kayastain Q (manufactured by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.), the fiber sheet is cut in the thickness direction, and the distribution of the binder in the exposed cross-section is observed visually or with an optical microscope to confirm it.

[0025] The distribution pattern of the amount of the binder contained in the fiber sheet can be adjusted as appropriate. However, if the amount of the binder continuously decreases from the main surface A side to the main surface B side, the amount of the binder inside the fiber sheet changes continuously, and the distribution of the amount of the binder does not concentrate in only a very small part of the fiber sheet. Therefore, peeling between the part where the binder is concentrated and the other parts is less likely to occur, and it is preferable because of excellent abrasion resistance and moldability.

[0026] When the amount of the binder contained in the fiber sheet increases, the abrasion resistance tends to be more excellent. Therefore, the amount of the binder is preferably 10 g / m 2 or more, more preferably 20 g / m 2 or more, and even more preferably 30 g / m 2 or more. On the other hand, when the amount of the binder contained in the fiber sheet becomes too large, the skin material becomes hard and the moldability tends to deteriorate. Therefore, it is preferably 60 g / m 2 or less, more preferably 50 g / m 2 or less.

[0027] The skin material of the present invention has a resin layer laminate in which a plurality of resin layers are laminated on the entire surface of one main surface of a fiber sheet. As a result, since the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet are protected by many resin layers, it is possible to provide a surface material with excellent wear resistance in which the generation of fuzz is suppressed. The number of resin layers at this time may be composed of two resin layers, a first resin layer and a second resin layer, or may have three or more types of resins, such as a third resin layer located between the first resin layer and the second resin layer. For example, in the case of a skin material having a third resin layer, the third resin layer can be a soft resin layer composed of a resin having a lower Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the second resin layer and having a buffering action for improving the touch of the skin material, for example. In addition, the "resin layer" of the present invention refers to a layer that includes only a resin region and exists on the entire surface of one main surface of the skin material. In addition, the region of only the resin is observed as a film-like layer when observing the cross section in the thickness direction of the skin material.

[0028] The skin material of the present invention may also include a region where fibers and resin are mixed in addition to the resin layer. Furthermore, the "entire surface on one main surface" of the present invention refers to the entire one main surface of the fiber sheet that can be seen when looking at the fiber sheet from directly above one main surface of the fiber sheet.

[0029] As a method for confirming whether the skin material contains two or more types of resin layers, for example, a method of staining the cross section of the skin material with a substance that stains a specific resin and then confirming, cutting out the resin layer from the skin material, and analyzing the resin collected from one main surface side of the cut-out resin layer and the resin collected from the other main surface side by a known method to confirm the difference in composition, etc., a known method can be adopted.

[0030] In the resin layer laminate of the skin material of the present invention, the resin constituting the second resin layer existing on the side opposite to the fiber sheet with respect to the first resin layer has a smaller Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the first resin layer that is in contact with the fiber sheet constituting the skin material. In addition, the Asker C hardness referred to in the present invention means a value measured by the following method.

[0031] (1) First, prepare the resin to be measured. When taking out the resin to be measured from the resin layer of the skin material, in order to identify the resin layer, methods such as staining the resin layer and cutting it out from the skin material, or solvents that dissolve only the constituent resins of a specific resin layer are considered. The resin layer can be dissolved and recovered with the solvent, and the solvent is removed from the solution in which the resin layer is dissolved to obtain the constituent resin of the resin layer. Thus, the resin to be measured can be taken out from the resin layer of the skin material by known methods. Then, prepare a sample composed of the resin to be measured (the appearance shape is longitudinal: 50 mm, transverse: 50 mm, thickness: 10 mm or more. If a sample with a thickness of 10 mm or more cannot be prepared, samples with a thickness of less than 10 mm can be stacked and prepared). When preparing this sample from the taken-out resin, for example, the taken-out resin is made into a dissolved state by heat or a solvent, and the sample is generated from the resin solution. (2) Using the indenter of the Asker rubber hardness tester type C manufactured by Kobunshi Keiki Co., Ltd., the hardness of the sample is measured by subjecting it to the hardness test of JIS K7312:1996 7. Specifically, in an atmosphere of 25°C, the Asker rubber hardness tester type C is vertically pressed against the main surface of the prepared sample, and the numerical value of the scale indicating the hardness is immediately read. At that time, the measurement position is measured more than 6 mm inside from the outer end of the prepared sample, and the measurement points are spaced 6 mm apart and measured at 5 points. The median value of the obtained values is taken as the Asker C hardness.

[0032] A low Asker C hardness means that the sample composed of the resin to be measured is soft. When the second resin layer present on the surface of the skin material is soft, when the main surface of the skin material is rubbed, as described above, when the resin contained in the resin layer is a soft resin, when light hits the resin layer, the part where the resin layer is scraped due to rubbing is less likely to turn white. Therefore, even if the soft second resin layer is scraped, it is less likely to turn white when light hits the second resin layer.

[0033] Therefore, by providing a second resin layer on the first resin layer and adopting a resin having a lower Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the first resin layer as the resin constituting the second resin layer, when the main surface of the skin material is rubbed, it is possible to prevent the resin layer (second resin layer) present on the main surface from whitening more than the skin material in which only a large amount of the first fiber layer is present on the main surface. As a result, it is possible to provide a surface material in which the appearance quality of the skin material is prevented from deteriorating.

[0034] The Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the first resin layer that is not exposed on the surface of the skin material and is located inside is higher than the Asker C hardness of the resin layer constituting the second resin layer so that the wear resistance of the skin material is excellent. Specifically, the Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the first resin layer is preferably 68 or more, more preferably 70 or more, and even more preferably 72 or more.

[0035] The Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the second resin layer present on the surface of the skin material is lower than the Asker C hardness of the resin layer constituting the first resin layer so that the second resin layer constituting the skin material is less likely to whiten when the main surface of the surface is rubbed. Specifically, the Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the second resin layer is preferably 72 or less, more preferably 68 or less, and even more preferably 65 or less.

[0036] Examples of the type of resin constituting the resin layer of the present invention include the same resins as the above-mentioned binder resins. For example, polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, or polyester resins can be mentioned. Among these, an acrylic resin (particularly, a self-crosslinking type acrylic resin) that moderately softens during molding, has excellent followability to the mold, and is less likely to generate wrinkles or fine irregularities is preferable. Among acrylic resins, an acrylic resin having a low glass transition temperature and being soft is suitable because it is easy to stretch and has excellent moldability. On the other hand, if the glass transition temperature of the acrylic resin is too low, the breaking strength of the resin is poor, so the wear resistance is poor. Therefore, the glass transition temperature is preferably -40°C or higher and 10°C or lower, more preferably -20°C or higher and 5°C or lower, and even more preferably -10°C or higher and 5°C or lower.

[0037] The greater the total amount of the resin laminate constituting the surface material, the more excellent the abrasion resistance tends to be. Therefore, the total amount of the resin laminate is preferably 20 g / m 2 or more, more preferably 30 g / m 2 or more, and even more preferably 40 g / m 2 or more. Also, if the amount of the resin layer is too large, it tends to impair the texture, touch, and moldability of the surface material. Therefore, it is preferably 100 g / m 2 or less.

[0038] The greater the amount of the first resin layer constituting the surface material, the stronger the binding between the constituent fibers and the more excellent the abrasion resistance. Therefore, it is preferably 10 g / m 2 or more, more preferably 12 g / m 2 or more, and even more preferably 15 g / m 2 or more. As the upper limit amount, 50 g / m 2 or less is realistic.

[0039] Regarding the amount of the second resin layer, the greater the amount, the less likely the fibers are to pop out when the surface material is rubbed, and the more excellent the abrasion resistance. Therefore, it is preferably 10 g / m 2 or more, more preferably 12 g / m 2 or more, and even more preferably 15 g / m 2 or more. As the upper limit amount, 50 g / m 2 or less is realistic.

[0040] The mass ratio of the amount (g / m 2 ) of the first resin layer constituting the surface material to the amount (g / m 2 ) of the second resin layer is such that if the amount of the second resin layer is too small compared to the amount of the first resin layer, the first resin layer may also be scraped off when the surface material is rubbed, and the surface material may turn white. Also, if the amount of the second resin layer is too large compared to the amount of the first resin layer, the abrasion resistance of the surface material may be inferior. Therefore, the mass ratio of the amount of the first resin layer to the amount of the second resin layer (amount of the first resin layer: amount of the second resin layer) is preferably 1:5 to 5:1, more preferably 1:3 to 3:1, and even more preferably 1:2 to 2:1.

[0041] In addition, as the thickness of the resin laminate constituting the skin material is thicker, it tends to be more excellent in wear resistance. Therefore, the thickness of the resin laminate is preferably 0.01 mm or more, more preferably 0.02 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.03 mm or more. Further, if the thickness of the resin layer is too thick, it tends to impair the texture, touch, and moldability of the skin material. Therefore, it is preferably 1 mm or less.

[0042] The thickness of the first resin layer constituting the skin material is preferably 0.005 mm or more, preferably 0.01 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.02 mm or more because the thicker the thickness, the stronger the bonding between the constituent fibers and the more excellent the wear resistance. Further, if the thickness of the first resin layer is too thick, it tends to impair the texture, touch, and moldability of the skin material. Therefore, it is preferably 0.5 mm or less.

[0043] The thickness of the second resin layer is preferably 0.005 mm or more, preferably 0.01 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.02 mm or more because the thicker the thickness, the less likely the fibers are to protrude when the skin material is rubbed and the more excellent the wear resistance. Further, if the thickness of the second resin layer is too thick, it tends to impair the texture, touch, and moldability of the skin material. Therefore, it is preferably 0.5 mm or less.

[0044] The thickness of the resin layer can be measured by observing the cross-section in the thickness direction of the skin material with an electron microscope, and the arithmetic average value of the thicknesses of the resin layers at 10 randomly selected points is defined as the "thickness of the resin layer" of the present invention. Note that although the first resin layer may penetrate into the fiber sheet, the portion of the first resin layer that penetrates into the fiber sheet is also included in the thickness of the first resin layer.

[0045] The skin material of the present invention may be provided with a pattern on the main surface of the fiber sheet constituting the skin material on the side where the first resin layer exists, so as to have excellent design properties. Further, as the mode of the pattern, the mode in which the pattern is applied on the main surface of the fiber sheet and the resin layer covers the pattern from above, or the mode in which the pattern is applied on the main surface of the skin material (the main surface where the resin layer is exposed) can be adopted. However, in order to make the pattern difficult to peel off by friction, the mode in which the pattern is applied on the main surface of the fiber sheet and the resin layer covers the pattern from above is preferable. Furthermore, the pattern provided on the skin material may include only a single pattern or two or more patterns with different patterns. Further, when the skin material has two or more patterns with different patterns, it is preferable that the patterns are separated by at least a resin layer such as the first resin layer and the patterns do not contact each other. Since the portion where the patterns overlap is less likely to bleed and the appearance quality is excellent when the patterns do not contact each other, this is preferable.

[0046] The configuration of the pattern applied to the skin material of the present invention is appropriately adjusted. As the type thereof, it can be composed of a resin similar to the above-mentioned binder resin, for example, a resin such as a polyurethane-based resin, an acrylic-based resin, or a polyester-based resin. Further, the pattern may contain a pigment, and the color, type, and amount of the pigment can be appropriately adjusted.

[0047] When the amount of the resin contained in the pattern increases, the skin material tends to be more excellent in abrasion resistance. Therefore, the amount of the resin contained in the pattern is preferably 3 g / m 2 or more, more preferably 5 g / m 2 or more, and even more preferably 9 g / m 2 or more. Further, when the amount of the resin contained in the pattern is too large, the clarity of the pattern and the moldability tend to be impaired. Therefore, it is preferably 30 g / m 2 or less.

[0048] In addition to the above-mentioned resin, the binder, resin layer, and pattern can contain functional materials. For example, by containing pigments, the surface material can be colored, thereby improving the design of the surface material. Also, by containing a water-repellent resin such as a resin containing silicone or a resin containing fluorine, the surface material is less likely to get dirty and the wear resistance can be improved. Furthermore, by including inorganic compounds such as flame retardants, antibacterial agents, deodorants, VOC generation inhibitors, and inorganic powders, various functions can be imparted to the surface material.

[0049] The basis weight and thickness of the surface material of the present invention can be appropriately adjusted according to the intended use, required strength, etc. However, if the basis weight of the surface material is too light, the surface material may break during molding, resulting in poor moldability. On the other hand, if the basis weight is too heavy, a large external force is required for molding, also leading to poor moldability. Therefore, the basis weight is preferably 140 - 500 g / m 2 and more preferably 150 - 400 g / m 2 and even more preferably 160 - 350 g / m 2 Also, if the thickness of the surface material is too thin, the moldability deteriorates, and if it is too thick, it becomes difficult to handle. Therefore, the thickness is preferably 1.0 - 3.0 mm, more preferably 1.3 - 2.7 mm, and even more preferably 1.5 - 2.5 mm. Note that the "thickness" of the surface material, fiber sheet, and the needle-punched nonwoven fabric described in the examples in the present invention refers to the length value between the two main surfaces under a 100 g / 5 cm 2 load and means the arithmetic average value of the thicknesses at 10 randomly selected points.

[0050] The smaller the air permeability of the surface material of the present invention by the fragile form method, the higher the density of the fiber sheet constituting the surface material and the smaller the voids on the surface of the surface material. When the surface of the surface material is rubbed, fibers are less likely to be pulled out from the surface material, so it is less likely to have linting and tends to have excellent wear resistance. Therefore, the air permeability is preferably 30 cm 3 / cm 2 ·sec. or less, more preferably 20 cm 3 / cm 2 ·sec. or less, and even more preferably 15 cm 3 / cm 2 ·sec or less is more preferable. The lower limit of the ventilation amount by the fragile form method is 0.01 cm 3 / cm 2 ·sec or more is realistic. The "ventilation amount by the fragile form method" of the present invention refers to the value measured by 6.8.1 (fragile form method) defined in JIS L1913:2010 "General Test Methods for Nonwoven Fabrics".

[0051] Next, the manufacturing method of the skin material of the present invention will be exemplified and described.

[0052] First, using the above-described fibers, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or a nonwoven fabric is manufactured as a fiber sheet.

[0053] These manufacturing methods are not particularly limited, but woven fabrics and knitted fabrics can be manufactured by weaving or knitting the above-described fibers. Nonwoven fabrics can be manufactured, for example, by a dry method in which the above-described fibers are supplied to a card device or an air-laying device to entangle the fibers, a wet method in which the fibers are dispersed in a solvent and the fibers are entangled in a sheet form by papermaking, a direct spinning method [a meltblowing method, a spunbond method, an electrospinning method, a method of discharging a spinning dope and a gas stream in parallel to perform spinning (for example, the method disclosed in JP-A-2009-287138), etc.], and the like. Since it is preferable to have a certain bulkiness for excellent moldability, it is preferable to adopt a dry method in which the fibers are entangled by supplying them to a card device or an air-laying device.

[0054] The woven fabric, knitted fabric, and nonwoven fabric formed as described above are preferably entangled by a water stream or needles so as to be easy to handle. In particular, it is preferable to entangle by needles so as not to impair the thickness and, as a result, not to impair the moldability. The preferable needle entanglement conditions are not particularly limited, but it is preferable to entangle at a needle density of 300 to 1000 needles / cm 2 and more preferably entangle at 300 to 600 needles / cm 2

[0055] ​In addition, if necessary, heat pressing may be performed before adhering the constituent fibers of the woven fabric, knitted fabric, or non-woven fabric to each other with a binder. Note that this "heat pressing" does not mean that the fibers are in a state of melting or plasticizing and adhering, but rather means that the gaps between the fibers are reduced by heat and pressure, and the fibers are in a state of being closely adhered to each other at a high density. In particular, when the fiber sheet contains polyester drawn staple fibers with a dry heat shrinkage rate of 4% or more as described above, when heat pressed, microscopically, it slightly shrinks, the surface becomes smooth, and it is difficult for the fibers to be caught by friction, so it has excellent wear resistance. Also, when applying a pattern, a clear pattern can be formed on the skin material. Therefore, it is preferable to perform heat pressing before adhering the constituent fibers to each other with a binder.

[0056] Such polyester drawn fibers with a dry heat shrinkage rate of 4% or more can have a dry heat shrinkage rate of 4% or more, for example, by appropriately adjusting the temperature during heat setting when manufacturing the fibers. Specifically, after stretching the fibers, heat setting at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polyester, that is, at a temperature of 70°C or more, can make the dry heat shrinkage rate 4% or more.

[0057] When applying a binder to the fiber sheet to impart wear resistance to the skin material, after applying the binder resin liquid from one main surface of the woven fabric, knitted fabric, or non-woven fabric by methods such as foaming impregnation, coating, or spraying, the dispersion medium / solvent is removed from the binder resin liquid, and the constituent fibers of the fiber sheet can be adhered to each other with a binder. The method of removing the dispersion medium / solvent from the binder resin liquid is appropriately prepared. For example, the dispersion medium / solvent can be removed by heating with a dryer. The type of dryer is not particularly limited, but in order to suppress shrinkage due to drying, a candler or a dryer with tent pins is preferable.

[0058] Next, a resin layer coating liquid, which is a dispersion / solution of a resin constituting a resin layer, is applied multiple times to the entire main surface of the fiber sheet to form a resin layer laminate, thereby manufacturing the skin material of the present invention. At this time, first, the coating liquid constituting the first resin layer is applied to the entire main surface of the fiber sheet and then dried to form the first resin layer existing in contact with the fiber sheet. Next, the coating liquid constituting the second resin layer is applied to the entire surface of the first resin layer and then dried to form the second resin layer existing on the side opposite to the fiber sheet with respect to the first resin layer. Thus, the skin material of the present invention having a resin layer laminate in which a plurality of resin layers are laminated can be manufactured.

[0059] The method of applying the resin layer coating liquid is not particularly limited. For example, a cylinder with through-holes on the entire surface, such as a cylindrical silk screen, is prepared, and the resin layer coating liquid is applied onto the main surface A through the through-holes of this cylinder, and the dispersion medium / solvent is removed from the applied resin layer coating liquid. The method of removing the dispersion medium / solvent is appropriately prepared. For example, the dispersion medium / solvent can be removed by heating and drying with a floating dryer or a dryer with tent pins that does not come into contact with the surface of the skin material.

[0060] In addition, when applying a pattern on the main surface of the skin material, the pattern can be applied on the main surface of the fiber sheet on the side where the first resin layer is provided, or on the main surface of the resin layer. The arrangement of the pattern is not particularly limited, but it can be carried out by a conventionally known method. For example, a cylinder having an opening corresponding to a desired pattern is prepared, and a resin liquid constituting the pattern is printed through this cylinder and dried to arrange the pattern. Also, when arranging two or more types of patterns, the above operation can be repeated for arrangement. Further, in order to make the pattern difficult to peel off due to friction, it is preferable to apply the pattern on the main surface of the fiber sheet or the first resin layer and cover the pattern with a resin layer such as the second resin layer from above.

[0061] Furthermore, when there are two or more patterns with different patterns, it is preferable that the patterns are separated by at least a resin layer such as the first resin layer and the patterns do not contact each other. Such a method for manufacturing the skin material is, for example, printing a resin liquid constituting a pattern on the main surface of a fiber sheet to apply the pattern, drying it, and applying a resin layer coating liquid for forming a first resin layer on the entire main surface having the pattern of the fiber sheet with the pattern applied, and then drying it, and printing a resin liquid constituting another pattern on the main surface of the prepared first resin layer to apply another pattern, whereby it can be manufactured.

[0062] The skin material of the present invention can be used as a skin material for vehicle interior materials and the like. The molding method is not particularly limited. For example, a molding method in which the skin material is fitted into a mold and pressure and heat are applied together with a urethane resin or a glass sheet, or an injection molding method in which the skin material is fitted into a mold and resin is poured between the skin material and the mold and pressure and heat are applied can be employed. In addition, in order to apply this skin material to various uses, it can also be subjected to secondary processing such as laminating other knitted fabrics, woven fabrics, or non-woven fabrics on the skin material, or cutting out the skin material.

Examples

[0063] Examples of the present invention are described below, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0064] (Preparation of needle-punched non-woven fabric) Using 75 mass% of original polyester fiber A (fiber fineness: 2.2 dtex, fiber length: 38 mm, color: gray) and 25 mass% of original polyester fiber B (fiber fineness: 2.2 dtex, fiber length: 51 mm, color: gray), after opening the fibers with a carding machine to form a fiber web, needle punching treatment was performed from one side with a needle density of 400 needles / cm 2 Then, it was supplied between hot calendar rolls at a temperature of 165 °C and a roll interval of 0.5 mm, and the fiber web subjected to the needle punching treatment was thermocompression bonded to manufacture a needle-punched non-woven fabric (basis weight: 195 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.7 mm).

[0065] (Preparation of Binder Liquid) A binder dispersion (solid content concentration: 22.1%) was prepared by dispersing an acrylic binder (glass transition temperature: -5°C) in water. The obtained dispersion was foamed to prepare a binder liquid.

[0066] (Preparation of Printing Liquid A) A printing liquid A (solid content concentration: 13.7%) was prepared by blending an acrylic binder (glass transition temperature: -38°C), a green pigment, a black pigment, and a white pigment and dispersing them in water.

[0067] (Preparation of Printing Liquid B) A printing liquid B (solid content concentration: 16.0%) was prepared by blending an acrylic binder (glass transition temperature: -5°C) and a black pigment and dispersing them in water.

[0068] (Preparation of Resin Layer Coating Liquid A) A resin layer coating liquid A (solid content concentration: 14.6%) was prepared by dispersing an acrylic binder (glass transition temperature: -5°C) in water. The resin layer coating liquid A was prepared by blending in the following ratio. Note that the Asker C hardness of the resin layer A obtained by drying the resin layer coating liquid A was 72.

[0069] (Preparation of Resin Layer Coating Liquid B) A resin layer coating liquid B (solid content concentration: 11.5%) was prepared by dispersing an acrylic binder (glass transition temperature: -5°C) and a silicone emulsion in water. Note that the Asker C hardness of the resin layer B obtained by drying the resin layer coating liquid B was 65.

[0070] (Example 1) The binder liquid foamed on one main surface (main surface A) of the needle-punched nonwoven fabric was applied, and while allowing it to penetrate, the needle-punched nonwoven fabric was passed between two rollers with a roller interval of 0.3 mm, and the binder liquid was made to penetrate from the main surface A side toward the other main surface (main surface B) side. Then, it was dried with a dryer at a temperature of 160 °C, and a fiber sheet (basis weight: 235 g / m 2 , of which the binder amount: 40 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.7 mm) was prepared. In addition, when the cross-section of the fiber sheet was dyed with Kayastain Q (manufactured by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.) and the abundance of the binder was confirmed with an optical microscope, more binder was present on the main surface A side than on the main surface B side, and the binder amount continuously decreased in a manner from the main surface A side toward the main surface B side. Subsequently, printing liquid A was printed on the main surface A side of the fiber sheet using a cylinder, and it was supplied to a dryer device at a temperature of 180 °C and dried. As shown in FIG. 1 on one main surface A of the fiber sheet, a first printed region (line width: 0.25 mm, line interval: 0.55 mm) having a pattern extending linearly upward and obliquely to the right at an angle of 45° from the width direction of the base mat was formed. The printing amount of the first printed region at this time was 10 g / m 2 . Subsequently, the resin layer coating liquid A for forming the resin layer A was uniformly applied to the entire main surface on the main surface having the first printed region. After applying the resin layer coating liquid A, it was supplied to a dryer device at a temperature of 180 °C and dried to form a resin layer A (first resin layer) so as to cover the first printed region. The amount of the formed resin layer A was 25 g / m 2 , and the thickness of the resin layer A was 0.03 mm. Subsequently, using a cylinder different from the one used when printing with printing liquid A, printing liquid B was printed on the resin layer A, and it was supplied to a dryer device at a temperature of 180 °C and dried. As shown in FIG. 2 on the resin layer A, a second printed region having a pattern in which the shape of "く" (line width: 0.3 mm) was arranged in a staggered pattern was formed. The printing amount of the second printed region at this time was 7 g / m 2 . Finally, the resin layer coating liquid B for forming the resin layer B was uniformly applied to the entire surface of the main surface having the second print area. After applying the resin layer coating liquid B, it was sent to a dryer device at a temperature of 160°C and dried to form a resin layer B (second resin layer) so as to cover the second print area. The surface material (basis weight: 295 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.5 mm) was manufactured with the first resin layer being resin layer A and the second resin layer being resin layer B. Note that the amount of the formed resin layer B was 18 g / m 2 , and the thickness of the resin layer B was 0.02 mm. Also, the pattern formed by the first print area and the second print area of the surface material was as shown in FIG. 3.

[0071] (Comparative Example 1) A surface material (basis weight: 295 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.5 mm) in which both the first resin layer and the second resin layer are resin layer A derived from the resin layer coating liquid A was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the resin layer coating liquid A was applied instead of the resin layer coating liquid B on the main surface having the second print area.

[0072] (Comparative Example 2) A surface material (basis weight: 295 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.5 mm) in which both the first resin layer and the second resin layer are resin layer B derived from the resin layer coating liquid B was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the resin layer coating liquid B was applied instead of the resin layer coating liquid A on the main surface having the first print area.

[0073] (Comparative Example 3) A surface material (basis weight: 277 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.5 mm) having only the resin layer A and not having the resin layer B corresponding to the second resin layer of the surface material of Example 1 was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the resin layer coating liquid B was not applied on the main surface having the second print area.

[0074] (Comparative Example 4) On the main surface having the first printed area, except that the resin layer coating liquid A was not applied and the second printed area was directly formed on the main surface having the first printed area, in the same manner as in Example 1, there is no resin layer A corresponding to the first resin layer of the skin material of Example 1, and a skin material having only the resin layer B (basis weight: 270 g / m 2 , thickness: 1.5 mm) was manufactured. The physical properties of the skin materials of the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 1 below. When the first resin layer or the second resin layer does not exist, it is described as "-".

[0075]

Table 1

[0076] Also, the skin materials of the examples and comparative examples were evaluated by the following methods. Note that (resin whitening evaluation) was evaluated only for the skin materials of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1.

[0077] (Measurement of air permeability by the frazil method) The air permeability of the skin material was evaluated by the above method.

[0078] (Abrasion resistance evaluation) The skin material was fixed to a Kagaku Shingen friction tester (manufactured by Dai-ei Kagaku Seiki Co., Ltd., RT-200), and a friction member (20 mm × 25 mm) with a hook-and-loop fastener (male type, Kuraray Fastening Co., Ltd., sewing type A hook, 100% polyester) was placed on it, and a load of 10 N was applied to rub the main surface of the skin material 15 times back and forth (60 times back and forth per minute). Then, the hook-and-loop fastener was replaced, and the main surface of the skin material rubbed with the hook-and-loop fastener was rubbed further in the same manner. This was carried out a total of 3 times. Then, the state of fuzzing on the surface of the skin material after rubbing was observed, and the abrasion resistance of the skin material was evaluated according to the following (evaluation criteria for abrasion resistance). (Evaluation criteria for abrasion resistance) 5: Those with no change. 4: Fuzzing can be confirmed partially, and the fuzzing height is 0 mm or more and 1 mm or less. 3: Fuzzing can be confirmed partially, and the fuzzing height exceeds 1 mm and is 3 mm or less. 2: Overall fluffing can be confirmed, and the fluffing height exceeds 3 mm and is 5 mm or less. 1: Overall fluffing can be confirmed, and the fluffing height exceeds 5 mm. Only those that met the above abrasion resistance evaluation criteria of 4 or more were subjected to the following resin whitening evaluation.

[0079] (Resin Whitening Evaluation) The surface material on which the abrasion resistance evaluation was performed was irradiated with a CIE standard light source D65. The angle between the light from this light source and the main surface of the surface material was made 90 degrees, and the angles between the light from the light source and the viewing eye, and between the main surface of the surface material and the viewing eye were each made 45 degrees. The portion of the surface material rubbed with the hook-and-loop fastener was observed, and the degree of whitening of the surface material due to the resin peeled off from the resin layer by friction with the hook-and-loop fastener was evaluated according to the following (Resin Whitening Evaluation Criteria) in accordance with JIS L0804:2004 Gray Scale for Color Fading. Note that for the gray scale for color fading, No. 5 indicates the least color fading, and No. 1 indicates the most color fading. (Resin Whitening Evaluation Criteria) 5: The color change is about No. 5 of the gray scale for color fading. 4: The color change is about No. 4 of the gray scale for color fading. 3: The color change is about No. 3 of the gray scale for color fading. 2: The color change is about No. 2 of the gray scale for color fading. 1: The color change is about No. 1 of the gray scale for color fading.

[0080] The evaluation results of the surface materials of the examples and comparative examples are shown in Table 2 below. Note that the air permeability by the frazil method is abbreviated as "air permeability", and the surface materials of the comparative examples for which the resin whitening evaluation was not performed are described as "-".

[0081]

Table 2

[0082] From the above results, the surface materials of the examples were excellent in abrasion resistance, and even when the surface materials were rubbed, they were difficult to whiten, and were surface materials with low likelihood of inferior appearance quality.

Industrial Applicability

[0083] The skin material of the present invention can be suitably used, for example, for interior materials for vehicles such as ceiling materials, door trims, dash outers, pillar garnishes, etc., and for applications such as partitions and wallpapers, and particularly as interior materials for vehicles that require high abrasion resistance, such as door trims, dash outers, pillar garnishes, etc.

Claims

1. A skin material comprising a fiber sheet and a resin layer laminate formed by laminating a plurality of resin layers on the entire surface of one main surface of the fiber sheet, in the resin layer laminate, the resin constituting the second resin layer present on the side opposite to the fiber sheet with respect to the first resin layer and present on the surface of the skin material has a lower Asker C hardness than the resin constituting the first resin layer in contact with the fiber sheet, Skin material.

2. The skin material according to claim 1, wherein the Asker C hardness of the resin constituting the second resin layer is less than 72.

3. The skin material according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the fiber sheet has a pattern on the main surface on the side where the first resin layer is present.

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