Antibacterial leather, preparation method and application thereof

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current synthetic leather production processes, particularly those using solvent-based polyurethane resins, pose environmental and health hazards due to toxic solvents, and lack specific antibacterial, flame retardant, and wear-resistant properties essential for applications like luggage, bags, and medical equipment.

Innovation Solution

An antibacterial leather composition and preparation method utilizing organic silica gel, carboxymethyl chitosan silver, modified nano-silica, and layered double hydroxide, combined with dimethicone, to create a surface layer with enhanced antimicrobial, flame retardant, and mechanical properties, applied in a multi-stage temperature difference process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If solvent-based polyurethane resin is used in leather production, then the leather can be manufactured with standard properties, but toxic and harmful chemical solvents are released causing environmental pollution and health hazards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleather manufacturing processVSAvoidenvironmental pollution and health hazards from toxic solvents
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful solvent component from the polyurethane resin system, replacing it with a water-based formulation. This eliminates the release of toxic solvents like dimethylformamide and toluene during manufacturing, while maintaining the leather production process capability through alternative binding mechanisms in the water-based system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the resin system from solvent-based to water-based. This parameter change transforms the entire manufacturing process from one that releases harmful volatile organic compounds to one that uses water as the primary carrier, fundamentally altering the environmental and health impact profile while preserving manufacturing functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional synthetic leather is produced without targeted functional additives, then the production process is simpler, but the leather lacks specific antibacterial, flame retardant, and wear-resistant properties required for specialized applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction process simplicityVSAvoidantibacterial, flame retardant, and wear-resistant properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material system by integrating multiple functional additives (antibacterial agents, flame retardants, wear-resistant particles) into the water-based polyurethane resin matrix. This composite approach enables the leather to simultaneously possess base material properties and specialized functional properties, making it suitable for diverse applications including medical equipment, sports gear, and protective clothing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent develops a universal leather material that can serve multiple functions simultaneously. By incorporating a suite of functional additives into the base resin system, the resulting leather exhibits antibacterial, flame retardant, and wear-resistant properties all at once, allowing a single material to meet the requirements of various specialized applications without requiring separate production lines

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If antibacterial agents are added to leather to prevent bacterial growth and mildew, then the leather gains protective properties, but the production process becomes more complex and may introduce new chemical substances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantibacterial protection against bacterial growth and mildewVSAvoidproduction process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the antibacterial agent incorporation step with the existing resin mixing process. Rather than adding antibacterial agents as a separate post-treatment step, the agents are integrated into the water-based polyurethane resin formulation itself, allowing antibacterial functionality to be built-in during the primary manufacturing process and eliminating the need for additional separate processing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a safe, environmentally friendly synthetic leather with improved antibacterial efficacy, flame retardancy, and mechanical properties, suitable for applications requiring resistance to bacterial growth, mildew, and fire, while avoiding toxic substances in the production process.

Implementation Method 1

The surface layer includes 3-5 parts of carboxymethyl chitosan silver and modified nano-silica, which provide antibacterial efficacy to prevent bacterial growth and mildew

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntibacterial effect:

Implementation Method 2

The antibacterial leather further includes 10-30 parts of modified layered double hydroxide, providing flame retardancy to resist fire

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlame retardancy:

Implementation Method 3

80-100 parts of organic silica gel and 8-10 parts of hardener are mixed to form a primary slurry, creating a cross-linked polymer network

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical bonding: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 4

The coating film is baked in a multi-stage temperature difference oven with low temperature zone of 110°C, medium temperature zone of 120°C and high temperature zone of 130°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS11459699B2Antibacterial leather, preparation method and application thereof
Publication Date: 2022.10.04 XIAMEN XIN DE LI INVESTMENT & DEV CO LTD

AI summary

An antibacterial leather uses the organic silica gel as the main component, uses the carboxymethyl chitosan silver as the antibacterial factor, and uses the modified nano-silica and the modified layered double oxide as the flame retardant factor. The synergistic effects between the components, such as the good binding between carboxymethyl chitosan silver and the substrate, the synergistic flame retardant effect between flame retardant factors, the bonding effect between modified nano-silica and dimethicone, and the synergistic effect between the high-viscosity dimethicone and the low-viscosity dimethicone are utilized to improve the process, thereby obtaining a good antibacterial, flame retardant and other properties, meanwhile meeting the requirement for the material mechanical properties and environmental protection.