Properties of Light-weight Expanded Bonded Leather Using Thermal Expandable Microspheres

Shaving dust is a collagen fiber that is the leather waste occurred for thickness adjustment during the natural leather manufacturing process, and causes problems such as an environmental contamination because of a chromium (Cr) contained when it comes to reclaiming process. Various studies applying the shaving dust are currently being conducted in many countries across the world with an initiative by the EU. Of those applications, the bonded leather is being highlighted as a substitute for natural leather. Since the bonded leather, however, uses latex as a binder, accordingly it entails a high weight and a poor ventilation, which are deemed as disadvantages due to its dense internal tissues compared to other synthetic leathers. To address such disadvantages, this study employed the thermally expandable micro sphere to improve its air permeability and light weight by alleviating the internal structure. This is a study on the manufacturing of light bonded leather using the shaving dusts. In the study, the shaving dusts were forced to foam under 100~120℃ considering the heat resistance of collagen fiber after applying the thermally expandable micro sphere, and then the tendency was analyzed. In the analysis results, the most excellent foaming rate was exhibited when the shaving dusts were treated under 120℃ for 8 minutes and the variation of internal structure according to a foaming was observed through SEM analysis for the cross-section of the bonded leather.

열 팽창성 Microsphere를 적용한 경량 발포 재생피혁 특성 분석

Shaving dust는 천연 피혁 제조 공정 중 두께 조절을 위해 발생하는 피혁 폐기물인 콜라겐 섬유로 크롬을 함유하고 있어 매립 시 환경오염 문제를 야기시킨다. 현재 유럽을 중심으로 다양한 국가에서 피혁 폐기물인 Shaving dust를 활용한 다양한 연구가 진행되고 있으며, 그 중 재생피혁(Bonded leather)은 천연 피혁 대체가능한 소재로 주목받고 있다. 재생 피혁은 바인더로 라텍스를 사용하여 다른 합성 피혁에 비해 내부 조직이 치밀하여 중량감이 높고 통기성이 저하되는 단점이 있어 열팽창성 Microsphere를 도입하여 내부 조직을 완화시켜 통기성 및 경량성 등 기능성을 개선하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서는 Shaving dust를 활용한 경량 재생피혁 제조에 관한 연구로, 열팽창성 Microsphere를 적용한 후 콜라겐 섬유의 내열성을 감안하여 100~120℃에서 발포시켜 그 경향성을 분석한 결과 120℃에서 8분간 처리하였을 때 가장 우수한 발포율을 나타내었고, 재생 피혁 단면의 SEM 분석을 통해 발포에 따른 내부 조직의 변화를 관찰하였다.