CN117616167A

CN117616167A - Biodegradable, industrially compostable and/or recyclable extruded leather-like materials

Info

Publication number: CN117616167A
Application number: CN202280043402.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: R·法尔肯
Original assignee: O2 Partnership Liability Co
Current assignee: O2 Partnership Liability Co
Priority date: 2021-04-22
Filing date: 2022-04-21
Publication date: 2024-02-27
Also published as: TW202305221A; BR112023021852A2; AU2022262358A1; KR20240027577A; WO2022226154A1; EP4326939A1; JP2024517660A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides artificial leather materials as recyclable, or biodegradable and/or industrially compostable, and methods of making the same. In some embodiments, the artificial leather of the present disclosure includes a core material and an outer polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, wherein the outer polymer layer comprises or consists of one or more bio-derived polymers. In a further embodiment, the artificial leather of the present disclosure comprises a core material and an outer polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, wherein at least the outer polymer layer comprises or consists of one or more recyclable polymers.

Description

Biodegradable, industrially compostable and/or recyclable extruded leather-like materials

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority and benefit from U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/178,199 filed on 22, 4, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to leather-like materials made from biodegradable and/or industrially compostable materials or from recyclable materials. The present disclosure also relates to methods of forming various leather-like compositions from recyclable, biodegradable, and/or industrially compostable bio-derived thermoplastic resins. The leather-like materials of the present disclosure may be used in, for example, but not limited to, footwear components, apparel, upholstery, and handbags, among other accessories.

Technical Field

Artificial leather generally comprises a combination of a nonwoven fabric core and an outer polymer layer in order to obtain an appearance, flexibility and/or texture comparable to natural animal leather. Currently, almost all known artificial leather is derived from non-renewable raw materials and most, if not all, is not biodegradable or industrially compostable. Furthermore, most existing artificial leathers cannot be easily recycled.

The most widely used material for the nonwoven fibrous cores of artificial leather is polyester fibers. The polyester fiber core is typically combined with one or more coatings of polyurethane or thermoplastic polyurethane as the outer material. As a result, these conventional artificial leathers are neither biodegradable nor industrially compostable, in part, due to their non-biodegradable and non-industrially compostable components, and also due to the different chemical properties of the nonwoven and outer layers combined into the same final leather-like material. Furthermore, even though conventional artificial leather contains certain materials that are biodegradable and/or recyclable, these materials cannot be easily separated from non-biodegradable, non-recyclable components.

Summary of The Invention

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of producing a leather-like material composition from a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable thermoplastic resin and a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable nonwoven fiber. In various embodiments, biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like materials may be made to have properties and characteristics similar to natural animal leather, but include plant-derived materials. The leather-like material (which may also be referred to as "artificial leather" or "synthetic leather") according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be in the form of a thin, flexible sheet that may be used in place of animal leather or other artificial leather, for example, in footwear (e.g., shoes, sandals, slippers, etc.), apparel (e.g., jackets, pants, belts, gloves, etc.), handbags, purses, and upholstery (e.g., furniture, vehicle seating, etc.). The leather-like materials according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure may have properties similar to natural leather (e.g., natural bovine leather) or other synthetic leather (e.g., vinyl synthetic leather), such as feel, softness, drape, and/or sewability. It is an object of certain embodiments to make leather-like materials that pose minimal environmental hazards, but also have significant technical performance characteristics equal to or superior to conventional non-biodegradable petrochemical artificial leather or natural leather. By selecting plant-derived materials for the production of biopolymers and nonwoven fibers, certain embodiments of the present disclosure can help sequester greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, greatly reduce reliance on non-renewable petroleum, and significantly reduce non-biodegradable waste ending up in landfills each year.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a recyclable or biodegradable and/or industrially compostable artificial leather and method of making the same. In some embodiments, the artificial leather of the present disclosure comprises a core material and an outer polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, wherein at least the outer polymer layer comprises or consists of one or more bio-derived polymers. In a further embodiment, the artificial leather of the present disclosure comprises a core material and an outer polymer layer disposed on at least one surface of the core material, wherein at least the outer polymer layer comprises or consists of one or more recyclable polymers. In some embodiments, the core material further comprises or consists of a recyclable or biodegradable and/or industrially compostable material. According to some embodiments, the core material may be a nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, the artificial leather produced according to the present disclosure may be fully biodegradable and/or industrially compostable. In some embodiments, the artificial leather produced according to the present disclosure may be fully recyclable.

In some embodiments, the biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like materials of the present disclosure include a nonwoven core layer and a polymeric layer disposed on a surface of the nonwoven core layer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer comprises or consists of a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer has a surface pattern or texture similar to that of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the polymer layer is made from one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fabric core layer comprises biodegradable and/or industrially compostable materials. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fabric core layer comprises cellulose derived fibers (e.g., lyocell), natural plant fibers (e.g., cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, etc.), and/or one or more biodegradable and/or industrially compostable polymers. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fabric core layer is or comprises a blend of one or more natural fibers (e.g., natural plant fibers) and one or more biodegradable and/or industrially compostable polymers (e.g., PBAT and/or PLA).

In some embodiments, a method of making a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like material comprises: providing a thermoplastic biopolymer and bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet, wherein the thermoplastic biopolymer and bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet is biodegradable and/or industrially compostable; feeding the thermoplastic biopolymer into a mixer to produce a molten biopolymer material, coating one or more surfaces of the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten biopolymer material, wherein the molten biopolymer material forms an outer polymer layer attached to one or more surfaces of the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet; and patterning (e.g., embossing) the outer polymer layer to create a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer. In some embodiments, the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles that of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic biopolymer comprises or consists of one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises feeding the molten biopolymer material into a first mixing roll and feeding the molten biopolymer material from the first mixing roll into a strainer (strainers). In some embodiments, the method comprises feeding the molten biopolymer material from the strainer into a calender where the molten biopolymer material is coated onto the surface of the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, the method includes cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

In some embodiments, the recyclable leather-like material includes a nonwoven fabric core layer and a polymer layer disposed on a surface of the nonwoven fabric core layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises or consists of a recyclable polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer has a surface pattern or texture similar to that of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fabric core layer further comprises or consists of a recyclable polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer layer and/or the nonwoven fabric core layer may comprise, for example, polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6/6-6, polyamide 12, or a blend containing one or more of them.

In some embodiments, a method of making a recyclable leather-like material includes providing a thermoplastic polymer and a nonwoven fibrous sheet, wherein the thermoplastic polymer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet are comprised of one or more recyclable polymer materials, feeding the thermoplastic polymer into a mixer to produce a molten polymer material, coating one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten polymer material, wherein the molten polymer material forms an outer polymer layer that adheres to the one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fibrous sheet, and patterning (e.g., embossing) the outer polymer layer to produce a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer. In some embodiments, the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles that of natural animal leather. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic polymer comprises or consists of one or more of polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6/6-6, polyamide 12, or blends containing one or more of them.

In some embodiments, the method for making a recyclable leather-like material further comprises feeding the molten polymeric material into a first mixing roll, and feeding the molten polymeric material from the first mixing roll into a strainer. In some embodiments, the method includes feeding the molten polymeric material from the strainer into a calender where the molten polymeric material is coated onto the surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, the method further comprises cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the nonwoven fibrous sheet. In some embodiments, cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

The present disclosure further provides products made from or comprising recyclable or biodegradable/industrially compostable leather-like materials made according to any of the embodiments described herein. Such products may include, but are not necessarily limited to, footwear (e.g., shoe) components or other apparel, fashion accessories, belts, bags, purses, vehicle interiors, seats or other furniture, and the like. For example, in some embodiments, a shoe component (e.g., an upper, insole, midsole, or outsole) may be made from one or more of the recyclable or biodegradable/industrially compostable leather-like materials described herein. The recyclable or biodegradable/industrially compostable leather-like materials according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be used as a substitute for any other artificial or natural leather materials known in the art.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The figures may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view depicting an artificial leather material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view depicting an artificial leather material according to a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a system for forming an artificial leather material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

fig. 3A-3C are photographs showing exemplary artificial leather materials made according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 3A shows the sample material prior to embossing. Fig. 3B shows the sample material after embossing. Fig. 3C is a side view of the sample shown in fig. 3A.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1A illustrates a generalized cross-sectional view of an artificial leather 100 according to some embodiments. The artificial leather 100 may be formed into flexible sheets that may be cut, shaped, and sized for use in products in place of natural and/or other artificial leather. For example, the artificial leather 100 may be particularly useful for footwear (e.g., shoe) components or other apparel, fashion accessories, belts, bags, purses, vehicle interiors, seating or other furniture, and the like.

In some embodiments, the artificial leather 100 of the present disclosure includes a core layer 102 and an outer polymer layer 104 disposed on at least one side or surface of the core layer 102. As shown in fig. 1B, in some embodiments, both sides or surfaces of the core layer 102 may be covered by the outer polymer layer 104 such that, for example, the core layer 102 is sandwiched between the outer polymer layers 104. The relative thicknesses of the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer(s) 104 are not necessarily drawn to scale. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is a flexible sheet and the outer polymer layer 104 is provided as a coating onto one or more surfaces of the core layer 102. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is in the form of a film. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is in the form of a solid open or closed cell foam layer. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is a fabric. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is or includes a nonwoven fabric and the outer polymer layer 104 is a coating provided on one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fabric. In some embodiments, nonwoven fabrics (which may also be referred to herein as "nonwoven fiber cores") include randomly oriented (e.g., entangled) fibers or filaments (filaments) that may be consolidated, for example, by friction and/or cohesion and/or adhesion. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 itself may have a non-uniform fibrous appearance. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 is manufactured by bringing the fibers together in the form of a sheet or web and then mechanically bonding them with an adhesive or thermally bonding them. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 may be produced, for example, by a melt-blown process, a spunbond process, or a combination of both. As used herein in accordance with some embodiments, a nonwoven fabric does not include materials formed, for example, from braiding or knitting.

In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may be applied in a fluid state to the surface of the core layer 102 via a coating process (e.g., spraying, knife coating, roll coating, etc.). In other embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may be formed separately from the core layer 102 and the two layers are then adhered or bonded together to form the artificial leather 100. In some embodiments, a layer of adhesive material may be disposed between the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer 104. In some embodiments, no adhesive material or other layer is disposed between the core layer and the outer polymer layer(s) 104. In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer(s) 104 are applied directly to one or more surfaces of the core layer 102. In some embodiments, the artificial leather 100 consists only of the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer(s) 104.

The outer polymer layer 104 includes an outer surface 106 facing away from the core layer 102, which may have a pattern or texture that mimics natural animal leather or skin in some embodiments. For example, the outer polymer layer 104 may be molded, embossed, or otherwise patterned such that the outer surface 106 includes a pattern or texture that mimics the pattern or texture ("grain") of mammalian leather (e.g., bovine leather, caprine leather, ovine leather, kangaroo leather), bird leather (e.g., ostrich leather), reptile leather (e.g., alligator leather (alligator leather), crocodile leather (crocodile leather), snake leather), fish leather (e.g., yellow mink leather), or other known animal leather. However, it should be understood that the materials selected for forming the artificial leather 100 according to the preferred embodiment are not actually derived from animals. In some embodiments in which the artificial leather 100 includes two outer polymer layers 104 (e.g., as shown in fig. 1B), only one or both outer polymer layers 104 may have an outer surface 106 that is patterned or textured to simulate natural animal leather or skin.

The artificial leather 100 may have a thickness T of less than 10mm, such as less than 9mm, less than 8mm, less than 7mm, less than 6mm, less than 5mm, less than 4mm, less than 3mm, less than 2mm, or less than 1 mm. T may refer to the total thickness of the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer(s) 104. In some embodiments, the thickness T may be 1mm to 8mm, for example 2mm to 6mm or 3mm to 5mm. Since the surface of the artificial leather 100 may be uneven, the thickness T may refer to a maximum thickness of the artificial leather 100 in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the thickness T may refer to an average thickness of the artificial leather 100. In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may be thinner than the core layer 102. In other embodiments, the outer polymer layer 104 may have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the core layer 102. In a further embodiment, the artificial leather 100 has a fabric weight of about 100 grams per square meter (g/m) ² Or "GSM") to about 600g/m ² Preferably about 300g/m ² To about 500g/m ² 。

As will be discussed further herein, in some embodiments, the material for the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer(s) 104 comprises or consists of a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable material. In some embodiments, the material for the core layer 102 and the outer polymer layer(s) 104 comprises or consists of a recyclable material. In certain preferred embodiments, the core layer 102 and/or the outer polymer layer 104 does not comprise or consist of polyurethane. In some embodiments, the core layer 102 and/or the outer polymer layer 104 do not include or consist of a chemical cross-linking agent. Chemical crosslinking may prevent or hinder the ability of the material to be biodegraded, composted and/or recycled, and thus such crosslinking should be avoided in certain embodiments. For example, crosslinking may be described as forming covalent bonds that hold portions of several polymer chains together. The result is a random three-dimensional network of interconnected chains within the material. Such crosslinked materials cannot be readily de-crosslinked and thus the various precursor components cannot be readily separated back into their respective types and biodegraded or composted.

"biodegradable" as used herein generally refers to the ability to break down by biological activity, particularly by microorganisms. In some embodiments, the materials and foams described in this disclosure as biodegradable and/or industrially compostable meet or exceed the requirements set forth in at least one of the following criteria: european Standard EN 13432, ASTM D6400 or Australian Standard AS 4736. In some embodiments, the materials described in this disclosure as biodegradable and/or industrially compostable meet or exceed the requirements set forth in at least European Standard EN 13432. In some embodiments, the materials described in this disclosure as industrially compostable are configured to exhibit at least 60% biodegradation (at least 60% of the materials must be decomposed by biological activity) within 180 days of composting in a commercial composting unit. In some embodiments, the materials and foams described in this disclosure as industrially compostable are configured to exhibit at least 90% biodegradation in a commercial composting unit within 180 days of composting.

In some embodiments, the term "recyclable" may generally refer to the ability of a material or product to be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from a waste stream for reuse or for manufacturing or assembling another article. In some embodiments, polymers and foams described in this disclosure as recyclable refer to the ability to recover constituent materials, for example, by mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and/or biological or organic recycling. In some embodiments, polymers and materials described in this disclosure as recyclable refer to the ability to recycle constituent materials using standard plastic recycling methods, for example, as described in ISO 15270:2008. In some embodiments, recycled materials, foams, and/or products described herein can be manufactured according to the requirements described in Textile Exchange Recycled Claim Standard 2.0.0 (RCS, 2017, 7, 1) and/or Textile Exchange Global Recycle Standard 4.0.0 (GRS, 2017, 7, 1).

Biodegradable and/or industrially compostable materials

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides an artificial leather (which may also be referred to as a "leather-like" material) that is biodegradable and/or industrially compostable, preferably biodegradable and industrially compostable. Leather-like materials according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be configured as industrial compost rather than household compost. Industrial composting is carried out in large scale facilities at temperatures of, for example, 55 ℃ to 60 ℃. In contrast, home composting refers to composting at lower temperatures, such as those found in a home backyard compost heap, and is therefore referred to as "home". In some embodiments, as an industrially compostable rather than a home compostable, helps ensure that the leather-like material will last for the life of its functionalized resulting product and will not break up or scatter during use within the finished product. For example, it is detrimental for a person purchasing a pair of shoes made from the leather-like material of the present invention to only degrade the leather-like material during normal use before the end of the useful life of the shoe.

In some embodiments, producing a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like outer layer (e.g., outer polymer layer 104 of fig. 1A and 1B) begins by providing a suitable polymer or a blend of suitable polymers. In certain preferred embodiments, suitable polymers are biologically derived polymers (also referred to as "biopolymers"). The term "bio-derived polymer" or "biopolymer" as used herein may be used to refer to a polymer derived from a biological source (e.g., plant, algae, fungus, microorganism, etc.) or made from precursor materials (e.g., monomers) derived from a biological source. One non-limiting example of a biopolymer suitable for use in the biodegradable and/or industrially compostable artificial leather of the present disclosure is or includes a bio-derived poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), such as a bio-derived PBAT manufactured by Novamont SpA, novara, italy. Such bio-derived PBATs are biodegradable and industrially compostable, wherein the precursors of the polymer, azelaic acid and bio-derived bio-butanediol (bio-BDO), constitute the primary bio-derived properties of the polymer. The foregoing thermoplastic biopolymer resins exhibit advantageous technical properties in forming optimal leather-like structures according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Some of these technical properties include, inter alia, excellent ageing properties, excellent elongation and tensile strength, for example.

In some embodiments, the thermoplastic biopolymer or thermoplastic biopolymer blend used to make biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like materials may be produced from any number of aliphatic and aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters or the like. Other non-limiting examples of suitable biopolymers that can be used to make the biopolymer blend include polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), and polybutylene adipate (PBA).

Additives may also be used in the biopolymer formulation, depending on the application. For example, oligomeric poly (aspartic acid-co-lactide) (PAL) may optionally be compounded into a masterbatch to accelerate degradation. In addition, fillers such as precipitated calcium carbonate from aragonite, starch, etc. can be used to reduce costs while maintaining the renewable and biodegradable integrity of the finished artificial leather. In some embodiments, one or more pigments or dyes may also be included to provide the desired color to the outer polymer layer.

Without a suitable core layer (e.g., core layer 102), the optimal biopolymer outer structure alone cannot produce a leather-like material. As discussed, in some embodiments, the core layer is a nonwoven fabric. In some embodiments, to achieve optimal biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like materials, a bio-derived nonwoven fibrous core is selected that closely matches the criteria of being biodegradable and industrially compostable for the external structure.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven fibrous core (e.g., core layer 102) is made of the same material selected for the outer polymer layer (e.g., outer polymer layer 104). In other embodiments, the nonwoven fibrous core is made of a material different from the material selected for the outer polymer layer. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fibrous core comprises or consists of biologically derived fibers (e.g., plant fibers). In some embodiments, the nonwoven fibrous core for biodegradable and/or industrially compostable artificial leather is or comprises lyocell fibers, a form of Rayon (Rayon) as cellulose-derived fibers. In other embodiments, the nonwoven core is or comprises biodegradable cotton. Furthermore, blends of natural fibers (e.g., cotton) and PBAT and/or PLA can be used for the nonwoven fiber core. For example, in some embodiments, a nonwoven core may be manufactured by utilizing two or more different types of plant fibers (e.g., sorghum, rice, corn, and soybean) as filler fibers, and polylactic acid (PLA) and/or poly (adipic acid)/polybutylene terephthalate (PBAT) as carrier polymers for manufacturing the nonwoven core. Other plant fibers (e.g., flax, hemp, etc.) may also be used in the nonwoven core, either alone or in combination. Furthermore, a neat blend of extruded fibers from poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and PBAT may be made into a core nonwoven material such that in some embodiments the composition of the outer polymer layer and the core material polymer are the same or similar and thus have the same or similar suitable end-of-life solutions (e.g., similar biodegradation characteristics).

Recyclable materials

In a further embodiment, the present disclosure describes a recyclable leather-like material and a method of making the same. The leather-like material may be impermeable to air or breathable (e.g., perforated to allow air to pass through the material). The creation of recyclable leather-like structures begins with suitable high performance polymers such as those derived from polyether block amide (PEBA), and the like. A non-limiting example of a suitable polymer is polyether block amide (PEBA) sold under the trade name NYFLEX by Nylon Corporation ofAmerica, manchester, NH. Other non-limiting examples of suitable polymers include any number of polyamide block copolymers such as PAE, TPA, TPE-A, COPA and the like. The above thermoplastic polymers show advantageous technical properties in forming the optimal leather-like structure of the invention. Some of the enhanced technical properties include, inter alia, excellent aging properties, excellent elongation, and tensile strength.

In further embodiments, recycled materials may be used to make suitable recyclable polymers or polymer blends of the present invention. For example, in one aspect, the recyclable flexible foamed thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one monomer or polymer derived from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled raw materials, such as caprolactam, recycled polyether block amide polymers, and the like. For example, caprolactam may be derived from such recycled raw materials by depolymerizing post-industrial or post-consumer materials (such as fishing nets, carpet fibers or industrial waste) containing polyamides. Some examples of depolymerized post-consumer or post-industrial recycled caprolactam include that provided by Aquafil USA inc, cartersville, georgia Caprolactam, whether in flake, liquid or molten form. The thermoplastic polymer may additionally or alternatively comprise a polyamide polymer derived from post-industrial or post-consumer polyamide carpet fibers, which is collected, sorted, melted and reprocessed. One example of this is the use of post-industrial polyamide carpet fibers and the like that are collected, sorted, melted and reprocessed into upgraded reconstituted polyamide materials usable. An exemplary polyamide polymer derived from post-industrial carpet fibers is Econyl manufactured by Aquafil USA inc. In addition, polyamide waste may be collected from the world's ocean or around in the form of fishing nets or the like, which may then be sorted, melted and reprocessed into upgraded, re-usable polyamide material. Derived from collected post-industrial fishing netsAn exemplary polyamide polymer is Akulon Repurposed manufactured by Koninklijke DSM n.v., heirlen, the Netherlands. It is an aim of certain embodiments to use recycled polymer feed as much as possible.

According to certain embodiments, the thermoplastic polymer used to make the recyclable artificial leather may optionally be produced from any number of flexible polyamides or polyamide copolymers, or the like. Non-limiting examples of suitable polymers include polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6/6-6, and polyamide 12. Any suitable polymer type may be used in the present invention as long as it meets the high requirements of low hardness, medium melt flow, high elongation and most importantly 100% recyclability.

Without a suitable nonwoven fibrous core (e.g., core layer 102), a suitable recyclable material for outer polymer layer 104 alone cannot produce a recyclable leather-like material. To achieve the best recycled and recyclable leather-like materials for the above-described invention, a recyclable nonwoven fibrous core is selected that closely matches the recycling and/or recyclable criteria of the outer structure formed during the leather-like material manufacturing process. In some embodiments, both the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fibrous core (recyclable nonwoven fibrous core) may be made of any of the recyclable materials described above and herein. In some embodiments, the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fibrous core are formed from the same recyclable material (e.g.Caprolactam). In other embodiments, the outer polymer layer is made of a first recyclable material and the nonwoven fibrous core is made of a second recyclable material that is different from the first recyclable material. In some embodiments, the artificial leather according to certain embodiments is configured such that the outer polymer layer can be separated from the nonwoven fibrous core by methods known in the art. In some embodiments, separation of the outer polymer layer from the nonwoven fibrous core may allow each of these components to be separated separately Recycled.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, blending two or more recyclable thermoplastic polymers rather than a single polymer may provide the desired combination of properties at a lower price. There are many ways to successfully blend polymers together. For example, one method may use twin screw extrusion to melt two or more polymer resins together. The polymer resin blend is then extruded into strands, cooled, and fed into a pelletizer for producing a large number of pelletized chips known as a masterbatch. Another approach to polymer resin blending is to use compatibilizing agents to link the different chemicals together in the polymer blend. This may be achieved by melting together the phase agent and two or more polymers of the above-mentioned non-limiting thermoplastic polymer types using twin screw extrusion or the like.

Method for manufacturing artificial leather

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, suitable thermoplastic biopolymers are provided for producing the outer polymer layer 104; subsequently selecting a suitable nonwoven fibrous core (e.g., core layer 102) of biodegradable and/or industrially compostable origin; extrusion, mixing, and calendaring are controlled so that a desirable leather-like material is formed.

In some embodiments, a method of making a biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material comprises the steps of: manufacturing a suitable thermoplastic biopolymer; manufacturing a suitable bio-derived nonwoven fibrous core; the leather-like material is formed by the actions of mixing, straining, calendaring, embossing, cooling and winding.

In some embodiments, a forming process is employed to make biodegradable and/or industrially compostable artificial leather in which a suitable biopolymer or biopolymer blend (e.g., one or more thermoplastic biopolymers as described above) is selected and then fed to a mixer, such as a Banbury mixer. After initial mixing, the now semi-molten thermoplastic biopolymer material is fed into a first mixing roll before it is fed into a strainer. After suitable straining, the semi-molten thermoplastic biopolymer material is fed into a second mixing roll and then into a calender where it is coated as an outer surface layer on a nonwoven fiber core. According to certain embodiments, the nonwoven fibrous core should also comprise or consist of biodegradable and/or industrially compostable materials. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic biopolymer is directly coated onto the nonwoven fiber core without any additional adhesive or bonding material. The now-joined thermoplastic biopolymer and nonwoven fiber cores are fed through various chill rolls and embossers and then fed into a winder to complete the now fully formed leather-like material. In further embodiments, the molding process may include one or more of the following: casting, film blowing, coating, and the like.

In some embodiments, and without limitation to the disclosure herein, a manufacturing process for producing biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like materials may include one or more of the following steps:

1. the appropriate thermoplastic is selected and then fed into a mixer (e.g., a Banbury mixer).

2. After initial mixing, the now semi-molten thermoplastic biopolymer material is fed into a first mixing roll, which is subsequently fed into a strainer.

3. After suitable straining, the semi-molten thermoplastic biopolymer material is fed into a second mixing roll and then into a calender where it is coated as an outer surface layer on a nonwoven fiber core.

4. The now joined thermoplastic biopolymer-nonwoven material is fed through various chill rolls and embossers and then fed to a winder to complete the now fully formed leather-like material.

In some embodiments, the method of forming a recyclable artificial leather material may include steps similar to those described above for making a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like material, except that a recyclable polymer or blend of recyclable polymers (e.g., as described above) is used in place of the thermoplastic biopolymer. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, a nonwoven fibrous core composed of a recyclable material is preferably used to form the recyclable artificial leather.

In some embodiments, a forming process for making recyclable artificial leather is employed wherein a suitable recyclable polymer or recyclable polymer blend (e.g., one or more recyclable polymers as described above) is selected and subsequently fed into a mixer (e.g., a banbury mixer). After initial mixing, the now semi-molten recyclable thermoplastic polymer mass is fed into a first mixing roll, which is then fed into a strainer. After suitable straining, the semi-molten recyclable thermoplastic polymer mass is fed into a second mixing roll and then into a calender where it is coated as an outer surface layer on the nonwoven fiber core. According to certain embodiments, the nonwoven fibrous core should also comprise or consist of recyclable materials. In some embodiments, the recyclable thermoplastic biopolymer is directly coated onto the nonwoven fiber core without any additional adhesive or bonding material. The now-joined recyclable thermoplastic polymer and nonwoven fibrous core is fed through various chill rolls and embossers, and then fed to a winder to complete the now-fully formed leather-like material. In further embodiments, the molding process may include one or more of the following: casting, film blowing, coating, and the like.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary system 200 that may be used to produce an artificial leather material according to an embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, thermoplastic polymer raw materials (e.g., biodegradable/industrially compostable biopolymers and/or recyclable polymers discussed above) are fed into a mixer 202 (e.g., a banbury mixer). The thermoplastic polymer raw material may be fed into the mixer 202, for example, in the form of pellets or the like. After initial mixing, the now semi-molten thermoplastic polymer material is fed into a first mixing roll 204 and then into a strainer 206. After suitable straining through strainer 206, the semi-molten thermoplastic polymer material is fed into a second mixing roll 208, and then into a calender 210 where it is coated as an outer surface layer on the nonwoven fiber core. The now-joined thermoplastic polymer and nonwoven fiber cores are fed through respective chill rolls 212 and then fed to a winder 214 to complete the now-fully formed leather-like material.

Fig. 3A-3C illustrate exemplary materials made in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 3A shows the sample material prior to embossing. Fig. 3B shows a sample with an outer polymer layer that has been embossed to have a leather-like pattern. Both samples have been saturated with an external polymer and/or coated onto or into the nonwoven core layer. Fig. 3C shows a side view of the sample shown in fig. 3A. The sample had a weight of about 400g/m ² To about 500g/m ² Is a fabric weight of (c).

Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims. It should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It should also be apparent that individual elements identified herein as belonging to a particular embodiment may be included in other embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, and composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure herein, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of making a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like material, the method comprising:

Providing a thermoplastic biopolymer and a bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet, wherein the thermoplastic biopolymer and the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet are comprised of biodegradable and/or industrially compostable materials;

feeding the thermoplastic biopolymer into a mixer to produce a molten biopolymer material;

coating the surface of the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten biopolymer material, wherein the molten biopolymer material forms an outer polymer layer attached to the surface of the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet; and

the outer polymer layer is embossed to create a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic biopolymer comprises one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising feeding the molten biopolymer material into a first mixing roll and feeding the molten biopolymer material from the first mixing roll into a strainer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising feeding the molten biopolymer material from a strainer into a calender where the molten biopolymer material is coated onto the surface of the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet.

5. The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the bio-derived nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, wherein the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles that of natural animal leather.

8. Biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material obtainable by the process according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A shoe component comprising the biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material of claim 8.

10. A biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material comprising:

A nonwoven fabric core layer; and

a polymer layer disposed on one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fabric core layer, the polymer layer comprising one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or a combination thereof.

11. A method of making a recyclable leather-like material, the method comprising:

providing a thermoplastic polymer and a nonwoven fibrous sheet, wherein the thermoplastic polymer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet are comprised of one or more recyclable polymeric materials;

feeding the thermoplastic polymer into a mixer to produce a molten polymeric material;

coating the surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet with the molten polymeric material, wherein the molten polymeric material forms an outer polymeric layer that adheres to the surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet; and

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises one or more of polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6/6-6, polyamide 12, or blends containing one or more of them.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, further comprising feeding the molten polymeric material into a first mixing roll and feeding the molten polymeric material from the first mixing roll into a strainer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising feeding the molten polymeric material from the strainer into a calender where the molten polymeric material is coated onto the surface of the nonwoven fibrous sheet.

15. The method of any of claims 11-14, further comprising cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the nonwoven fibrous sheet.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the nonwoven fibrous sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the nonwoven fibrous sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers.

17. The method of any one of claims 11-16, wherein the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles that of natural animal leather.

18. A recyclable leather-like material produced by the method of any one of claims 11-17.

19. A shoe component comprising the recyclable leather-like material as set forth in claim 18.

20. A recyclable leather-like material comprising:

a nonwoven fabric core layer; and

a polymeric layer disposed on one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fabric core layer, the polymeric layer comprising polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6/6-6, polyamide 12, or a blend containing one or more of them.