Hygienic Property of Microfiber Synthetic Leather Base Modified via a “Two-Step Method”

Abstract

A “two-step method” was adopted to improve the hygienic property of polyamide microfiber synthetic leather base. Firstly, the amino-terminal hyperbranched polyamides (NH2-HBP) synthesized by N, N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) and diethylene triamine (DETA) was cross-linked to microfiber synthetic leather base pretreated with formic acid, in which glutaraldehyde was the crosslinking agent. Secondly, Gelatin hydrolysate was cross-linked to the preliminary modified microfiber synthetic leather base by using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinking agent. The modified microfiber synthetic leather base was then obtained. Hygienic performances, mechanical properties, and the micro morphology were taken as indexes to optimize the dosages of glutaraldehyde and NH2-HBP. The results show that when the glutaraldehyde dosage was 1.1 times that of the primary amino groups (the primary amino group dosage was about 0.201 mmol/g), the modification effect improved greatly. In this condition, the water vapor permeability, hygroscopicity, tensile strength, and tear strength of the base were 0.7691 g/10 cm2·24 h, 3.357 mL/g·24 h, 18.79 N/mm2, and 103.18 N/mm, respectively. These values were 86.7%, 48.8%, 19.8%, and 2.69% higher than those of unmodified base, respectively. When NH2-HBP dosage was three times that of the primary amino groups, the modification effect also improved. In this case, the water vapor permeability, hygroscopicity, tensile strength, and tear strength of the base were 0.5761 g/10 cm2·24 h, 3.274 mL/g·24 h, 18.79 N/mm2, and 103.4825 N/mm, respectively. These values were 113%, 42.3%, 3.5%, and 2.98% higher than those of the unmodified base, respectively. Meanwhile, the SEM image of the modified base showed that fiber dispersion was greatly increased in this condition.

Modifications of microfiber synthetic leather base (MSLB) to enhance the sanitary performances: a review

“…1 Many customers prefer natural leather products due to their excellent properties, like wearing comfort, good water vapor permeability, and superior hygroscopicity. 2,3 However, there is a great challenge faced by the current genuine leather industry relating to pressure from several sources, including insufficient raw hides, environmental pollution, and the developing ethical concern over animal rights. 4,5 Therefore, meeting the rising demand of leather products globally needs an enhanced spring up of artificial leather or other leather substitutes, especially in Southeast Asia.…”

“…Consequently, an inevitable imitation of natural leather has developed. 7,8,3 Leather base is the key component of finished synthetic leather and is presently divided into three main categories: knitted leather base, woven leather base, and nonwoven leather base. Like natural leather, nonwoven leather base consists of a threedimensional net structure.…”

“…15 Nonetheless, applications of microfiber synthetic leather have expanded with the continuous advancement in the research area. 3 For instance, it has established wide applications in manufacturing of shoes, bags, garments, and upholsteries in the automotive, aviation, and other industries. 6 For example, over 90% high-end sport shoes are present across the world made from microfiber synthetic leather.…”

“…11 In the recent past, microfiber synthetic leather has emerged to be the most ideal natural leather substitute. 3,16 MSLB properties are the primary factors for the properties microfiber leather, and main cost of microfiber leather is occupied by the base fabric. 13,17,18,9 Despite microfiber synthetic leather having some better properties than natural leather, such as its mechanical behavior, there are other multiple properties like the hygienic ones, that portray a wide gap between natural leather and microfiber synthetic leather.…”

Preparation of high-performance microfiber synthetic leather base using thermoplastic polyurethane/sulfonated polysulfone electrospun nanofibers

“…Up to now, many modifications, including acid hydrolysis, 2 enzyme hydrolysis, 3 hydrophilic polymer blending 4 and grafting, 1,5–8 have been applied to increase the active groups of microfiber in the MSLB. Among these methods, the effect of hydrolysis was proved to be the weakest and the WVT was improved by 32% compared with the untreated MSLB.…”