Artificial leather base material, and method for producing artificial leather base material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing artificial leather base materials using polyamide ultrafine long fibers lack shape stability when wetted with water, and existing solutions either compromise quality or productivity.

Innovation Solution

An artificial leather base material containing polyamide fibers with a specific equilibrium moisture regain of 1.80% or less, achieved by using a polyamide resin with an average number of carbon atoms between amide bonds of 8 or more, or combining it with a hydrophobic component like an olefin-maleic anhydride resin, along with an elastic polymer, to control moisture absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If polyamide ultrafine long fibers are used in artificial leather base material, then the material can be produced without large-sized facilities and has higher strength, but the material lacks shape stability when wetted with water

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction process simplificationVSAvoidshape stability when wetted

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the polyamide resin by controlling the average number of carbon atoms between amide bonds to be 7 or more, and by adding hydrophobic components, thereby reducing moisture absorption and improving shape stability while maintaining the benefits of ultrafine long fibers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system by combining polyamide resin with specific structural characteristics (average carbon atoms ≥7) and hydrophobic components, forming a multifunctional fiber that simultaneously provides high strength, processability, and shape stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If drawing treatment is performed after spinning to improve crystal orientation, then the crystal structure is improved, but the number of production steps increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrystal orientationVSAvoidnumber of production steps

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by optimizing the resin composition and spinning parameters during the spinning process itself to achieve sufficient crystal orientation, eliminating the need for subsequent drawing treatment and reducing production steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If the melting point of the water-soluble thermoplastic resin is not lower than the melting point of nylon 6 by 30°C or more, then the resin structure is stable, but the tension during spinning is insufficient and crystal orientation is low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresin structure stabilityVSAvoidcrystal orientation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of average carbon atoms between amide bonds to 7 or more, which provides an alternative mechanism for achieving both structural stability and sufficient crystal orientation during spinning without relying on large melting point differences

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 an artificial leather base material with excellent shape stability when wetted with water, maintaining quality and productivity without increasing production steps.

Implementation Method 1

the artificial leather base material has an equilibrium moisture regain of 1.80% or less

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

an extraction component is extracted and removed with an aqueous solution to obtain ultrafine fibers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP4663845A1Artificial leather base material, and method for producing artificial leather base material

Publication Date: 2025.12.17 KURARAY CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is an artificial leather base material containing a polyamide fiber and having excellent shape stability when wetted with water, the artificial leather base material contains a polyamide fiber and an elastic polymer, in which the artificial leather base material has an equilibrium moisture regain of 1.80% or less as calculated by the following Equation (1), where A is the mass of the artificial leather base material after 40 seconds from being transferred to an atmosphere having a temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 45% after the artificial leather base material has been dried at 100°C for 10 minutes, B is the mass of the artificial leather base material after the artificial leather base material is further left to stand in the above atmosphere and there is no mass change, and X% by mass is the percentage of the mass of the elastic polymer to the total mass of the polyamide fiber and the elastic polymer: Equilibriummoistureregain%=B−A/A×100−X/100×100