Waste Leather Substrate with Continuous Collagen Fibril Matrix
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional artificial and synthetic leathers formed from waste leather lack the desirable characteristics of natural leather, such as high tensile strength and elastic properties, due to the absence of a continuous matrix of resistant collagen fibers, and face challenges in fibril dispersion and dewatering during production, leading to low wet lap strength and inefficient large-scale processing.
Innovation Solution
The process involves shredding or grinding leather waste into uniform particles, combining them with water to swell and distress collagen fibril bundles, followed by mechanical dispersion and dewatering to form a collagen fibril matrix, which is then processed into a leather substrate with improved strength and tear resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If shredded leather particles are embedded into binding materials to form bonded leather, then waste leather is utilized and environmental impact is reduced, but the continuous matrix of resistant collagen fiber bundles is lost resulting in low tensile strength (790-1750 PSI compared to 2000-3200 PSI for natural leather)
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the leather processing into distinct stages: initial shredding to create uniform particles (0.004-0.020 inch), followed by controlled fibrillation to separate collagen fibrils while maintaining their length. This segmentation allows the collagen fibrils to be redistributed and re-entangled to form a continuous matrix structure, resolving the contradiction between using shredded waste leather and achieving high tensile strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes key parameters of the leather particles through controlled fibrillation processes that separate collagen fibrils from bundles while maintaining fibril length and integrity. By controlling particle size, fibril dispersion, and water content during processing, the invention transforms the structural parameters of waste leather to recreate the continuous collagen matrix necessary for high tensile strength.
2Strength
If mechanical dispersion is applied to achieve high fibril dispersion for fibril-to-fibril entanglement, then tensile strength is improved, but wet lap strength decreases making large-scale production difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary actions to strengthen the wet lap before high-intensity mechanical dispersion. Specifically, the process includes initial forming of a cohesive wet lap structure, followed by controlled dewatering to increase fiber-fibril contact and bonding. This preliminary structuring allows subsequent mechanical dispersion to achieve high fibril dispersion without completely breaking down the wet lap integrity, maintaining reliability during processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs dynamic processing where the intensity and duration of mechanical dispersion are varied throughout the process. Initial gentle mixing establishes wet lap coherence, followed by progressively more intense dispersion to achieve fibril separation. This dynamic approach allows the system to achieve high fibril dispersion for tensile strength while maintaining sufficient wet lap strength for handling through controlled process sequencing.
3Strength
If conventional tanning processes are used on natural hides, then desirable physical characteristics are achieved, but supply variability and tanning costs create production challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and isolates the essential functional component (collagen fibrils) from the complex tanning process by using waste leather as starting material. Instead of processing entire hides through complex tanning, the invention extracts collagen fibrils through shredding and controlled fibrillation, then reassembles them into a continuous matrix. This extraction approach achieves desirable physical characteristics while eliminating supply variability and reducing process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a synthetic leather product that copies the essential structural feature of natural leather (the continuous entangled matrix of collagen fibrils) without requiring natural hides or conventional tanning. By replicating the fibril matrix structure through mechanical processing and controlled dewatering, the invention achieves similar physical characteristics to tanned leather while avoiding the complexities of hide sourcing and chemical tanning processes.
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 resulting leather substrate exhibits enhanced tensile strength and tear resistance, surpassing that of conventional artificial and synthetic leathers, and can be treated with conventional leather conditioning methods, facilitating large-scale production with improved wet lap strength.
Implementation Method 1
allowing collagen fiber bundles of the leather material particles to absorb at least a portion of the fluid or water
Implementation Method 2
shearing the leather material particles; dispersing the leather material particles
Data Source
AI summary
A leather substrate formed from waste leather and its method of production, particularly a leather substrate made up substantially of a collagen fibril matrix.