Artificial leather and production method therefor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial leathers using water-dispersed PU resin struggle to achieve a balance between texture (stiffness) and crease recovery, often resulting in materials that are either too hard or lacking in flexibility, while also posing environmental and health hazards due to the use of organic solvents.
Innovation Solution
The development of an artificial leather with a specific fiber structure and PU resin distribution, where the cross-sectional PU resin area ratio is between 15% to 30% and the standard deviation is 25% or less, combined with a water-dispersed PU resin and hot-water-soluble resin fine particles, to achieve a suitable texture and crease recovery, using a process involving wet-heating and microwaves for affixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water-dispersed PU resin is used instead of organic solvent-based PU resin, then environmental harm is reduced, but the texture becomes hard and flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by controlling the PU resin to form a porous structure within the fiber sheet. The porous structure is achieved through specific coagulation conditions and resin formulation, creating voids and channels that allow fiber movement while maintaining resin binding, thus preserving flexibility without compromising the environmental benefit of using water-dispersed resin
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing multiple parameters including PU resin concentration (5-20 wt%), coagulation temperature (20-100°C), and cross-sectional area ratio (20-80%). By systematically adjusting these parameters, the invention achieves the optimal balance between flexibility and binding strength, transforming the hard texture issue into a controllable parameter space
2Object-affected harmful factors
If water-dispersed PU resin is used instead of organic solvent-based PU resin, then environmental harm is reduced, but crease recovery is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the cross-sectional area ratio of PU resin to fiber sheet between 20-80%, and controlling coagulation temperature between 20-100°C. These parameter adjustments ensure sufficient resin distribution to provide crease recovery while maintaining the environmental advantage of water-based resin
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies composite materials by combining water-dispersed PU resin with specific fiber sheets having controlled physical properties (basis weight 10-200 g/m², thickness 0.05-0.5 mm). This composite structure leverages the synergistic effect between the resin and fiber matrix to achieve both environmental compatibility and mechanical reliability
3Reliability
If PU resin amount is increased to improve crease recovery, then crease recovery is improved, but texture becomes hard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by defining the optimal cross-sectional area ratio range of 20-80% and PU resin concentration of 5-20 wt%. This parameter optimization prevents excessive resin accumulation that would cause hardness, while ensuring sufficient resin for crease recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies porous materials by creating a controlled porous structure within the PU resin matrix. The porosity allows the material to maintain flexibility and soft texture even at higher resin concentrations, as the void spaces prevent dense packing of resin molecules
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
This approach results in an artificial leather that is both flexible and resistant to creasing, suitable for various applications, including upholstery and clothing, while minimizing environmental impact by eliminating the need for organic solvents.
Implementation Method 1
the coagulation method of the organic solvent-based PU resin dispersion is a 'wet coagulation method' in which PU molecules are aggregated, precipitated, and coagulated by substituting an organic solvent in which PU molecules are dissolved in water
Implementation Method 2
the water-dispersed PU resin is a 'dry heat coagulation method' in which, mainly by heating, the hydration state of the PU molecules dispersed in water is collapsed and the PU molecules are coagulated by aggregating the PU molecules with each other
Implementation Method 3
a production method is characterized by a fiber sheet is impregnated with a PU resin dispersion containing a water-dispersed PU resin, a foaming agent, an anionic surfactant and/or a zwitterionic surfactant
Data Source
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AI summary
[PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED] To provide an artificial leather which can be suitable used as the upholstery or inner material of seats for interior, automobiles, aircraft, and railway vehicles, as well as clothing products and which has both a suitable texture (stiffness) and crease recovery. [MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM] The artificial leather includes a fiber sheet and a polyurethane resin, wherein the fiber sheet includes at least a fiber layer (A) constituting a first outer surface of the artificial leather, a cross-sectional polyurethane resin area ratio in the thickness direction of the fiber layer (A) is 15% to 30%, and standard deviation of the cross-sectional polyurethane resin area ratio of the fiber layer (A) is 25% or less.