Artificial leather, production method for same, vehicle interior material, and seat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing artificial leather struggle to achieve both an elegant and luxurious outer appearance and high physical properties, while also simplifying the production process and reducing environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
The development of an artificial leather composed of polyester resin fibers with an average single-fiber diameter of 2.0 µm to 7.0 µm, which are long and dispersed as single fibers, along with a heat of fusion of 10 J/g to 100 J/g and a melting peak with a half width of 9°C or more. This artificial leather may also include a layer of reinforcing fibers and a polyurethane content ratio of 5% to 50% by mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ultrafine fibers are used to achieve elegant outer appearance, then the outer appearance quality is improved, but the process complexity increases due to the need for ultrafine fiber generation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fiber diameter parameter to a specific range (2.0-7.0 μm) that balances appearance quality with process simplicity. This parameter optimization allows achieving elegant outer appearance without requiring complex ultrafine fiber generation processes, as the fibers are fine enough for aesthetic purposes but coarse enough to be produced through simpler methods.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fiber length is shortened to disperse fibers uniformly in water, then the dispersion uniformity is improved, but the outer appearance quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the fiber length parameter to a specific range that enables both uniform dispersion in water and maintenance of elegant outer appearance. This balanced parameter selection resolves the contradiction between dispersion uniformity and appearance quality, allowing fibers to disperse evenly without sacrificing aesthetic properties.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fiber rigidity is increased to prevent entanglement in water, then the dispersion stability is improved, but the nap softness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the fiber rigidity parameter to a balanced level that provides sufficient dispersion stability without excessive stiffness. This parameter optimization ensures fibers remain stable in water while maintaining the softness required for elegant nap formation, resolving the contradiction between dispersion stability and nap softness.
4Device complexity
If ultrafine fiber-generating fibers are used to simplify the process, then the process complexity is reduced, but the fiber dispersion uniformity deteriorates due to aggregation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fiber diameter parameter to a specific range (2.0-7.0 μm) that prevents aggregation while maintaining process simplicity. This parameter optimization allows using simplified production methods without suffering from the fiber aggregation problems that plague ultrafine fiber-generating fiber systems, thus achieving both process simplicity and dispersion uniformity.
5Manufacturing precision
If fiber rigidity is excessively reduced to achieve soft-touch naps, then the nap softness is improved, but the mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the fiber rigidity parameter to a balanced level that provides both soft-touch naps and adequate mechanical strength. This parameter optimization ensures fibers are soft enough for elegant appearance while maintaining sufficient strength for durability, resolving the contradiction between nap softness and mechanical strength.
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 artificial leather achieves both an elegant and luxurious outer appearance and high mechanical properties, while improving productivity and reducing environmental load, making it suitable for use in vehicle interior materials and seats.
Implementation Method 1
blowing a -15°C to 50°C gas to the polyester resin in at least a part of a region within 200 mm from the discharge holes to form a yarn
Implementation Method 2
discharging a molten polyester resin from discharge holes of a spinneret... blowing a -15°C to 50°C gas to the polyester resin... to form a yarn
Implementation Method 3
drawing the yarn with a -15°C to 50°C gas at a spinning speed Vs (m/min) of 3,000 m/min to 7,000 m/min at least at an inlet to obtain a web composed of fibers
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to an artificial leather including, as a main constituent, fibers that are composed of a polyester resin and have an average single-fiber diameter of 2.0 µm to 7.0 µm, in which the fibers are long fibers and dispersed as single fibers, and the artificial leather has a heat of fusion ΔHm of 10 J/g to 100 J/g and exhibits a melting peak with a half width of 9°C or more. Provided are: an artificial leather that achieves an elegant and luxurious outer appearance and mechanical properties both at high levels; and a method of producing an artificial leather, by which the productivity can be improved while further reducing the environmental load.