Ø Main types of artificial leather
PVC artificial leather
It is a mixture of polyvinyl chloride resin, plasticizer and other cooperating agents, coated or laminated on fabric. In addition, there is also double-sided PVC artificial leather with plastic layers on both sides of the base material. Due to the surface plastic coating of PVC artificial leather will be peeled off after long-term use, and it is less eco-friendly, so the market share has gradually declined in recent years.
PU artificial leather
The surface of PU artificial leather is mainly polyurethane, the base material is polyester, cotton, polypropylene and other non-woven fabrics. Its front and back sides are very similar to leather and have certain air permeability. PU artificial leather has beautiful luster, is not easy to mold and insect, and is closer to natural leather than ordinary artificial leather. Besides, PU artificial leather is better than natural leather in waterproof, acid and alkali resistance, and microbe resistance.
Ø What are the applications of PU artificial leather?
PU artificial leather is regarded as the most ideal material to replace natural leather products in the world, and is mainly used in the fields of footwear, clothing, bags, balls, furniture, automobile, conveyor belts, etc..
PU leather originated from the early 1950s, because it has other synthetic leather incomparable advantages, such as easy to according to the need for molecular structure design, low temperature flexibility, etc., and therefore the rapid development of the production continues to increase, color varieties are also constantly updated.
Ø What are the factors affecting the aging of PU artificial leather?
Temperature
The stability of a polymer usually depends on its chemical structure and the dissociation energy of the bonds. PU is formed by polyisocyanates, polyols and amine chain extenders, etc., so increasing the ambient temperature is actually equivalent to providing the dissociation energy of the bonds. As a result of heat, the following reactions occur:
R-NH-CO-O-R'→R-NH-R'+CO2↑
Long-term UV irradiation
PU prepared from aromatic isocyanates lead to UV degradation and the product changes from colorless to yellow due to the formation of quinones under light exposure.
In addition, humidity in the air also catalyzes the hydrolytic degradation of artificial PU leather.
Ø How to solve PU artificial leather aging? And get high quality artificial leather?
By adding antioxidants, UV absorbers, light stabilizers can significantly improve the long-term aging resistance, light resistance and thermal stability of PU artificial.
OMNISTAB UV571 is designed for PU system, which effectively improve the yellowing&UV resistance level of product.
OMNISTAB LS292 will improve the light stability of PU, and when used with UV absorber, excellent synergistic effect could be obtained.
OMNISTAB AN1135 is especially suitable for PU system to prevent polyols from generating peroxide during storage.
OMNISTAB AN6133 is eco-friendly & no phenol, low volatility, anti-hydrolysis resistance, could improve the thermal stability of and aging resistance of PU.
OMNISTAB HN130 is widely used as an anti-yellowing agent for artificial PU leather.
