Grained artificial leather and method for manufacturing grained artificial leather
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional grain-finished artificial leathers lack a combination of fine fold creases, suppleness, and surface smoothness similar to natural grain-finished leathers, while also facing challenges with heat and water resistance.
Innovation Solution
A grain-finished artificial leather is developed with an artificial leather base material comprising ultrafine fibers, an elastic polymer, and fine particles, where the content ratio of fine particles is 10-40% and the elastic polymer to total polymer and particle ratio is 20-80%, with a total apparent density of 0.23-0.55 g/cm3, enhancing formability and texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thick grain layer is formed to increase heat resistance and water resistance, then heat resistance and water resistance are improved, but suppleness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite base material consisting of a fiber-entangled body impregnated with elastic polymer and fine particles. This composite structure provides both the protective functions (heat and water resistance) and the mechanical properties (suppleness) that a single thick grain layer cannot achieve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the base material by controlling the content ratio of elastic polymer (20-80 mass %) and fine particles (10-40 mass %), and by controlling the total apparent density (0.23-0.55 g/cm³). These parameter adjustments allow optimization of both protective properties and suppleness without requiring a thick grain layer.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the content ratio of elastic polymer is increased to decrease voids, then voids are reduced, but the texture becomes rubber-like and rigid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite impregnation material combining elastic polymer and fine particles. The fine particles (10 μm or less in average particle size) act as fillers that reduce voids while the elastic polymer maintains flexibility, preventing the rubber-like rigid texture that occurs with high elastic polymer content alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the balance between elastic polymer and fine particles by controlling their content ratios and the total apparent density. This parameter control allows sufficient void reduction for stability while maintaining the soft, leather-like texture through appropriate flexibility.
3Shape
If natural leather is used to achieve fine fold creases and suppleness, then fine fold creases and suppleness are obtained, but heat resistance and water resistance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention copies the microstructure and physical properties of natural leather by using ultrafine fibers (0.4 dtex or less) and fine particles to create a fiber-entangled body that mimics collagenous fiber arrangement. This artificial structure replicates the fine fold crease formation and suppleness of natural leather without using actual animal collagen.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces natural collagenous fibers with a composite system of synthetic ultrafine fibers impregnated with elastic polymer and fine particles. This composite material achieves the desired fine fold creases and suppleness while simultaneously providing superior heat and water resistance compared to natural leather.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a grain-finished artificial leather including an artificial leather base material, and a grain layer stacked on the artificial leather base material. The artificial leather base material includes a fiber-entangled body including ultrafine fibers having an average fineness of 0.4 dtex or less, an elastic polymer, and fine particles having an average particle size of 10 μm or less. The content ratio of the fine particles is 10 to 40 mass %, and the ratio of the elastic polymer to the total amount of the elastic polymer and the fine particles is 20 to 80 mass %. Also, a total of an apparent density of the elastic polymer and an apparent density of the fine particles is 0.23 to 0.55 g/cm3.