Napped Artificial Leather Fiber Anchoring for Pilling Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional napped artificial leathers tend to cause pilling, which degrades their appearance due to fiber fuzzing and entanglement.
Innovation Solution
A production method involving a non-woven fabric of ultrafine fibers impregnated with a first elastic polymer, where one or both surfaces are napped and treated with a resin solution containing a second elastic polymer soluble in a specific solvent, with the solvent applied to fix the second polymer to the basal portions of the fibers, ensuring uneven distribution and high solubility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional napping methods are applied to artificial leather surfaces, then a napped surface is formed, but the fibers become prone to pilling due to friction and entanglement
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic polymer is introduced as an intermediary substance between the napped fibers and the external environment. This polymer penetrates into the fiber entanglements and acts as a binding agent that prevents fibers from detaching and forming pills, while maintaining the napped surface characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The physical and chemical parameters of the fiber surface are modified by applying and curing an elastic polymer coating. This changes the surface properties to reduce fiber friction and prevent entanglement, thereby improving pilling resistance while preserving the napped appearance
2Reliability
If elastic polymer is applied to prevent pilling, then fiber entanglement is reduced, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex with additional steps
Solution Approach 1:
The napping process and elastic polymer application are combined into an integrated manufacturing sequence. The elastic polymer is applied to the napped surface and then cured in situ, merging multiple operations into a cohesive process that reduces overall complexity compared to separate treatment steps
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 method results in a napped artificial leather with excellent pilling resistance, as the second elastic polymer is dissolved and solidified at the basal fibers, preventing fiber detachment and entanglement, thus maintaining surface integrity.
Implementation Method 1
applying, to the napped surface, a resin solution containing a second elastic polymer having solubility in a predetermined solvent; and applying the predetermined solvent to the surface to which the resin solution is applied
Implementation Method 2
the second elastic polymer is dissolved and solidified at the basal fibers
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Disclosed is a production method of a napped artificial leather including the steps of: providing a fiber sheet including a non-woven fabric of ultrafine fibers with a fineness of 1 dtex or less that has been impregnated with a first elastic polymer napping one or both surfaces of the fiber sheet to form a napped surface thereon; applying, to the napped surface, a resin solution containing a second elastic polymer having solubility in a predetermined solvent; and applying the predetermined solvent to the surface to which the resin solution is applied. Also disclosed is a napped artificial leather including a fiber sheet obtained by impregnating a first elastic polymer into a non-woven fabric that is an entangled body of ultrafine fibers with a fineness of 1 dtex or less, wherein the fiber sheet includes, on one or both surfaces thereof, a napped surface obtained by the ultrafine fibers, and a second elastic polymer is fixed to basal portions of the napped ultrafine fibers.