SKIN LAYER FOR ARTIFICIAL LEATHER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL LEATHER

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a skin layer for artificial leather and a method manufacturing the artificial leather, and more particularly, to a composition of an inorganic pigment included in a skin layer. The skin layer for artificial leather, which is the present disclosure, may include a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more, and a method for manufacturing artificial leather includes: kneading a composition for forming a skin layer, and then forming a skin layer; laminating fiber fabric and the skin layer at a temperature of 150 to 180° C.; and subjecting the laminated fiber fabric and skin layer to roll compression, in which the composition for forming the skin layer may include a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0121914, filed on Oct. 12, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a skin layer for artificial leather and a method manufacturing the artificial leather, and more particularly, to an inorganic pigment which may be included in a skin layer.

BACKGROUND

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

Artificial leather used as an automotive interior material is a material directly contacted and touched by consumers during driving, and the color and design of the artificial leather have been a criterion for selecting a vehicle to consumers who intend to buy the vehicle.

PVC artificial leather is used as artificial leather for an automotive interior material. The PVC artificial leather is manufactured by making a composition for forming a skin layer, including a PVC resin, into a sheet by a calendar method, and then laminating the sheet and a fiber layer. According to the process, the color of artificial leather may be implemented by adding a pigment to a composition for forming a skin layer, or only a simple design may be implemented on the surface of artificial leather by subjecting artificial leather to a punching method.

Meanwhile, fiber fabric used for artificial leather is produced by weaving/knitting polyester yarn. In the case of fiber fabric, since the pattern and color of yarn can be adjusted variously, various designs can be implemented as fiber fabric itself. However, a pigment included in a skin layer needs to be eliminated in order to expose the design of fiber fabric to the surface of artificial leather.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes a method to manufacture a transparent skin layer and permeate a pattern of fiber fabric into the transparent skin layer.

The present disclosure may include a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more.

The present disclosure may include an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more and less than 0.7 phr.

A skin layer may have an average thickness of 370 μm or less.

The plasticizer may be one or more selected from diisodecyl phthalate, dipropyl-heptyl phthalate, trioctyl trimellitate, diisononyl phthalate, or diisononyl adipate.

The present disclosure may further include a heat stabilizer at 2 to 8 phr.

The present disclosure may further include a UV absorber at 0.2 to 0.6 phr.

The present disclosure may include a method including: kneading a composition for forming a skin layer, and then forming a skin layer; laminating fiber fabric and the skin layer at a temperature of 150 to 180° C.; and subjecting the laminated fiber fabric and skin layer to roll compression, in which the composition for forming the skin layer may include a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more.

A content of the inorganic pigment may be 0.3 phr or more and less than 0.7 phr.

The laminated and compressed skin layer have an average thickness of 370 μm or less.

The composition for forming the skin layer may include a heat stabilizer at 2 to 8 phr, or a UV absorber at 0.2 to 0.6 phr.

A kneading temperature of the composition for forming the skin layer may be 120 to 160° C.

A roll compression temperature may be 70 to 230° C.

The present disclosure may manufacture a transparent skin layer and may permeate a pattern of fiber fabric into the transparent skin layer.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a photograph of artificial leather including a plasticizer at 86 phr (diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) is used) and an inorganic pigment at 8 phr, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 2 is a photograph of artificial leather in which a plasticizer at 86 phr (DIDP is used) is included and an inorganic pigment is eliminated in order to secure transparency, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 3A illustrates a PVC resin to which an inorganic pigment is not added, and FIG. 3B illustrates a PVC resin when an external stimulus is applied;

FIG. 4A illustrates a PVC resin before an inorganic pigment is added, and FIG. 4B illustrates a PVC resin after an inorganic pigment is added. FIG. 4C illustrates a PVC resin and an inorganic pigment when an external stimulus is applied;

FIG. 5 is a photograph of Example 1, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 6 is a photograph of Example 2, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 7 is a photograph of Example 3, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 8 is a photograph of Comparative Example 1, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 9 is a photograph of Comparative Example 2, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 10 is a photograph of Comparative Example 3, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 11 is a photograph of Comparative Example 4, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 12 is a photograph of Comparative Example 5, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 13 is a photograph of Comparative Example 6, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 14 is a photograph of Comparative Example 7, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 15A is a photograph (150×) of the artificial leather in Example 4, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 15B is a photograph of Example 4, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 16A is a photograph (150×) of the artificial leather in Example 5, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 16B is a photograph of Example 5, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 17A is a photograph (150×) of the artificial leather in Comparative Example 8, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 17B is a photograph of Comparative Example 8, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 18A is a photograph (150×) of the artificial leather in Comparative Example 9, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 18B is a photograph of Comparative Example 9, which is captured by a common digital camera;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing artificial leather of the present disclosure;

FIG. 20 is a photograph when a bending evaluation is performed on Example 6 which is subjected to a roll compression process; and

FIG. 21 is a photograph when a bending evaluation is performed on Comparative Example 10 which is not subjected to a roll compression process.

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail. However, the present disclosure is not limited or restricted by exemplary aspects. Details of the present disclosure will be naturally understood or become apparent from the following description, and are not limited by only the following description. Further, in the description of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description for publicly-known technology related to the present disclosure can obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of artificial leather including a plasticizer at 86 phr (diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) is used) and an inorganic pigment at 8 phr, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIG. 1, it can be confirmed that an inorganic pigment included in a skin layer need to be eliminated because the pattern of fiber fabric is not observed on the surface of artificial leather.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of artificial leather in which a plasticizer at 86 phr (DIDP is used) is included and an in organic pigment is eliminated in order to constitute the artificial leather with a transparent skin layer, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that a transparent skin layer is secured because a pattern of fiber fabric is observed in a diagonal direction in FIG. 2. However, unlike the artificial leather which includes an inorganic pigment in FIG. 1, it is possible to observe portions 21, 22, and 23 in which whitening phenomenon occurs around a strand of sewing thread in the artificial leather which does not include an inorganic pigment in FIG. 2.

The whitening phenomenon refers to a phenomenon in which a PVC resin is crystallized by an external impact and the surface of artificial leather appears to be white, and a schematic view thereof is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. FIG. 3A illustrates a PVC resin to which an inorganic pigment is not added, and FIG. 3B illustrates a PVC resin when an external stimulus is applied. Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a PVC resin 31 is crystalized by an external stimulus, for example, stretching and impact caused by a sewing needle, thereby exhibiting a whitening phenomenon.

The present disclosure relates to a skin layer included in artificial leather, and may include a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more. In the present disclosure, the inorganic pigment may be added in order to reduce, inhibit, or prevent the whitening phenomenon, and it is possible to add an inorganic pigment having a color which is the same as or similar to a main color of fiber fabric.

Inhibition of the whitening phenomenon may be caused by the addition of a small amount of inorganic pigment through the schematic view in FIGS. 4A-4C. FIG. 4A illustrates a PVC resin before an inorganic pigment is added, and FIG. 4B illustrates a PVC resin after an inorganic pigment is added. FIG. 4C illustrates a PVC resin and an inorganic pigment when an external stimulus is applied. Referring to FIGS. 4A to 4C, even though an external stimulus such as stretching and impact of a sewing needle is given, the crystallization of a PVC resin 41 may be hindered as an inorganic pigment 42 is located inside and outside the chains of the PVC resin 41. Accordingly, the whitening phenomenon can be reduced, inhibited, or prevented.

When an inorganic pigment at less than 0.3 phr is added, the whitening phenomenon may occur because an amount of inorganic pigment added is not sufficient enough to uniformly distribute the inorganic pigment around the PVC resin. An increased or maximum content of the inorganic pigment may be set within a range in which the whitening phenomenon does not occur, in consideration of whether the pattern of fiber fabric is permeated.

Hereinafter, it will be described whether the whitening phenomenon occurs depending on the content of an inorganic pigment through the Examples and the Comparative Examples. However, the Examples and Comparative Examples described below are only provided for specifically exemplifying or explaining the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited thereby.

EXAMPLES 1 to 3

An inorganic pigment (manufactured by ILSAM Co., trade name: SVM BLACK 720B) at 0.3 phr was added to a skin layer, and as fiber fabric, fiber fabric having a pattern in which white and black are alternated vertically and laterally on the surface was used. Examples 2 and 3 were manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the inorganic pigment at 0.5 phr and 0.7 phr, respectively, was included in the skin layer.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 to 3

Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the inorganic pigment was not added in Comparative Example 1, the inorganic pigment at 0.1 phr was added in Comparative Example 2, and the inorganic pigment at 0.2 phr was added in Comparative Example 3.

FIGS. 5 to 7 are photographs of Examples 1 to 3, respectively, which are captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon does not occur around strands of sewing thread, more specifically in a region which is externally impacted by sewing as a region which is back-stitched with sewing thread.

The occurrence of the whitening phenomenon can be seen through whether a brighter white region than a white pattern of fiber fabric occurs, whether a white region occurs at a site where a black pattern of fiber fabric is located, whether a white region, which displays white but is not recognized as a pattern of fiber fabric, occurs, and the like.

FIG. 8 is a photograph of Comparative Example 1, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIG. 8, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurs in a region which is back-stitched with sewing thread. Referring to a region 81 and 82 where the whitening region occurs in Comparative Example 1, it is possible to observe a white region brighter than a white pattern of fiber fabric and a white region which is not recognized as a white pattern of fiber fabric.

FIG. 9 is a photograph of Comparative Example 2, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIG. 9, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurs in a region which is back-stitched with sewing thread as in FIG. 8. Referring to a region 91 and 92 where the whitening phenomenon occurs in Comparative Example 2, it is possible to observe a white region brighter than a white pattern of fiber fabric and a white region which is not recognized as a white pattern of fiber fabric.

FIG. 10 is a photograph of Comparative Example 3, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIG. 10, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurs in a region which is back-stitched with sewing thread as in FIG. 9. Referring to a region 91 and 92 where the whitening phenomenon occurs in Comparative Example 3, it is possible to observe a white region brighter than a white pattern of fiber fabric and a white region which is not recognized as a white pattern of fiber fabric. However, since the whitening phenomenon in Comparative Example 3 is lower in intensity of the white color than that in Comparative Example 2, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon depending on the addition of the inorganic pigment is improved to some degree.

TABLE 1
	Content
	(phr)			Occurrence of
	of inorganic		Permeation	whitening
Classification	pigment	Brightness	of pattern	phenomenon
Example 1	0.3	24.1	◯	X
Example 2	0.5	23.5	Δ	X
Example 3	0.7	23.3	X	X
Comparative	0	26.4	◯	◯
Example 1
Comparative	0.1	24.5	◯	◯
Example 2
Comparative	0.2	24.2	◯	Δ
Example 3

Table 1 summarizes the brightness, whether the pattern of fiber fabric is permeated, and whether the whitening of artificial leather occurs in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 where the content of the inorganic pigment varies. Referring to Table 1, in the case of Examples 1 to 3, the whitening phenomenon does not occur, but as the content of the inorganic pigment is increased, the pattern of fiber fabric does not gradually permeate while the color of the inorganic pigment becomes darker. In contrast, in the case of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, a smaller amount of inorganic pigment is included than that in Example 1 in which the pattern of fiber fabric is permeated, and as a result, the pattern of fiber fabric is permeated, but the whitening phenomenon occurs.

Accordingly, in order to inhibit the whitening phenomenon, the inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more may be added, or the inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr to 0.7 phr may be added. It is possible to add the inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more and less than 0.7 phr, or 0.3 phr to 0.5 phr in order to permeate the pattern of fiber fabric.

Comparative Examples 4 to 7 are a case where the content of the plasticizer is increased, a case where the type of plasticizer is changed, a case where soybean oil is mixed, and a case where an impact absorber is added, respectively, to inhibit the whitening phenomenon. Since the whitening phenomenon occurs due to an external impact, the Comparative Examples were devised as a means for alleviating the external impact, but the whitening phenomenon occurred. Specific contents thereof are as follows.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4

Comparative Example 4 is a comparative example in which the content of a plasticizer was increased from 86 phr to 96 phr, and as the plasticizer, diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) was used. FIG. 11 is a photograph of Comparative Example 4, which is captured by a common digital camera, and referring to FIG. 11, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurred in a region which was back-stitched with sewing thread. Referring to a region 111 or 112 where the whitening phenomenon occurs in Comparative Example 4, it is possible to observe a white region which is not recognized as a white pattern of fiber fabric at a site where a black pattern of fiber fabric is located. Through this, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon occurs due to an external impact even though the ductility of PVC is increased by increasing the content of the plasticizer.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 5

Comparative Example 5 is a comparative example in which the content of the plasticizer is maintained at 86 phr, but the type of plasticizer is changed from diisodecyl phthalate to DEHCH (trade name). FIG. 12 is a photograph of Comparative Example 5, which is captured by a common digital camera, and referring to FIG. 12, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurred in a region which was back-stitched with sewing thread. Referring to a region 121 where the whitening phenomenon occurs in Comparative Example 5, it is possible to observe a white region which is not recognized as a white pattern of fiber fabric at a site where a black pattern of fiber fabric is located. Through this, it can be seen that even though the type of plasticizer is changed, the whitening phenomenon occurs due to an external impact, and the occurrence of the whitening phenomenon is irrespective of inhibition of whitening phenomenon and the type of plasticizer.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 6

Comparative Example 6 is a comparative example in which a plasticizer at 86 phr and soybean oil at 4 phr are mixed. The soybean oil is a plasticizer using soybeans, and may increase the ductility of PVC by using oil components of soybean. FIG. 13 is a photograph of Comparative Example 6, which is captured by a common digital camera, and referring to FIG. 13, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurred in a region which was back-stitched with sewing thread. Referring to a region 131 where the whitening region occurs in Comparative Example 6, it is possible to observe a white region which is not recognized as a white pattern of fiber fabric at a site where a black pattern of fiber fabric is located. Through this, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon occurs due to an external impact even though the ductility of PVC is increased by mixing soybean oil.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 7

Comparative Example 7 is a comparative example in which a methacrylate butadiene styrene (MBS)-based impact absorber at 2 phr is added. FIG. 14 is a photograph of Comparative Example 7, which is captured by a common digital camera, and referring to FIG. 14, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon repeatedly occurred in a region which was back-stitched with sewing thread. Referring to a region 141 where the whitening phenomenon occurs in Comparative Example 7, it is possible to observe a white region which is distinguished from a white pattern of fiber fabric at a site where a black pattern of fiber fabric is located. Through this, it can be seen that the whitening phenomenon occurs due to an external impact even though a separate impact absorber is added in order to alleviate the external impact.

A polyurethane (PU)-based resin may also be used instead of a PVC resin included in the present disclosure. However, the resin included in the present disclosure is not limited to the polyurethane (PU)-based resin, and any resin which can be used in artificial leather for an automotive interior material can be used while replacing or mixing with the PVC resin of the present disclosure.

The plasticizer used in the present disclosure may be one or more selected from diisodecyl phthalate, dipropyl-heptyl phthalate, trioctyl trimellitate, diisononyl phthalate, or diisononyl adipate.

However, the plasticizer is not limited thereto, and may include all the plasticizers which can be mixed in the PVC resin. A plasticizer having a molecular weight smaller than that of diisodecyl phthalate is not used because thermal properties of the plasticizer tend to be weakened. Moreover, the content of the plasticizer is associated with the viscosity and flowability of the plasticizer, and a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr may be used in order to improve the workability.

A skin layer for artificial leather, which is the present disclosure, may have an average thickness of 370 μm or less. The average thickness is 370 μm or less because an average thickness more than 370 μm may not inhibit or prevent crystallization of the PVC resin due to the smaller number of particles of the inorganic pigment per unit volume of the skin layer. In this case, the average thickness of the skin layer means a value obtained by arithmetically averaging the vertical distances from one surface of a skin layer which is not laminated with fiber fabric to the other surface of a skin layer which is laminated with fiber fabric.

FIG. 15A is a photograph of the artificial leather in Example 4, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 15B is a photograph of Example 4, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, it can be seen that the average thickness of the skin layer in Example 4 is 260.2 μm, and the whitening phenomenon does not occur on the surface of artificial leather.

FIG. 16A is a photograph of the artificial leather in Example 5, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 16B is a photograph of Example 5, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B, it can be seen that the average thickness of the skin layer in Example 5 is 367.3 μm, and the whitening phenomenon does not occur on the surface of artificial leather.

FIG. 17A is a photograph of the artificial leather in Comparative Example 8, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 17B is a photograph of Comparative Example 8, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIGS. 17A and 17B, the average thickness of the skin layer in Comparative Example 8 was 384.3 μm, and the whitening phenomenon 171 was observed on a portion which was back-stitched with sewing thread.

FIG. 18A is a photograph of the artificial leather in Comparative Example 9, which is captured by an optical microscope, and FIG. 18B is a photograph of Comparative Example 9, which is captured by a common digital camera. Referring to FIGS. 18A and 18B, the average thickness of the skin layer in Comparative Example 9 was 415 μm, and the whitening phenomenon 181 was observed on a portion which was back-stitched with sewing thread.

In summary, it is possible to inhibit the occurrence of the whitening phenomenon of artificial leather by controlling the average thickness of the skin layer including an inorganic pigment to 370 μm or less.

A heat stabilizer at 2 to 8 phr may be included in the present disclosure. The heat stabilizer is included in a composition for forming a skin layer, thereby enhancing the stability to heat. More specifically, the heat stabilizer imparts stability at a high processing temperature, and reduces, inhibits, or prevents the occurrence of discoloration caused by light and heat even in a finished product state. Since the skin layer, which is the present disclosure, is a transparent film layer, the discoloration of fiber fabric or the skin layer may be easily observed, so a heat stabilizer may be added at 2 to 8 phr in order to reduce, inhibit, or prevent discoloration.

A UV absorber at 0.2 to 0.6 phr may be included in the present disclosure. The UV absorber blocks propagation of photolysis and inhibits discoloration by absorbing UV light and converting the light into harmless thermal energy. The UV absorber is added to the skin layer which is the present disclosure, but the UV absorber may be added at 0.2 to 0.6 phr in order to inhibit discoloration caused by excessive addition of the UV absorber.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing artificial leather, which is the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 19, the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing artificial leather, and may include: kneading a composition for forming a skin layer, and then forming a skin layer (S101); laminating fiber fabric and the skin layer at a temperature of 150 to 180° C. (S102); and compressing the laminated fiber fabric and skin layer (S103), in which the composition for forming the skin layer may include a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more, and the laminated and compressed skin layer may have an average thickness of 370 μm or less.

In order to inhibit the whitening phenomenon, an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr to 0.7 phr may be included, and in order to permeate the pattern of fiber fabric, an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr to 0.7 phr, or an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr to 0.5 phr may be included.

The fiber fabric and the skin layer may be laminated by a calendar method, and the lamination temperature may be 150 to 180° C. The lamination temperature needs to be controlled within a range in which the workability is improved, and the discoloration and the modification of properties of the formulation do not occur, and the lamination temperature may be 150 to 180° C. in terms of the composition of the composition for forming the skin layer according to the present disclosure.

A heat stabilizer of 2 to 8 phr, or a UV absorber of 0.2 to 0.6 phr may be included in the composition for forming the skin layer. The reason of the addition and the composition range are as described above.

The kneading temperature of the composition for forming the skin layer may be 120 to 160° C., and the compression temperature of the laminated fiber fabric and skin layer may be 70 to 230° C. The kneading temperature and the compression temperature need to be controlled within a range in which the workability is improved, and the discoloration and the modification of properties of the formulation do not occur, and the kneading temperature and the compression temperature may be 120 to 160° C. and 150 to 180° C., respectively, in terms of the composition of the composition for forming the skin layer according to the present disclosure.

The laminated fiber fabric and skin layer may be compressed by roll compression. By roll compression, the peel strength between the skin layer and the fiber fabric may be increased, and the whitening phenomenon caused by an external stimulus may be inhibited or prevented. This is associated with the position and distribution of the inorganic pigment in and out of the chain of the PVC resin.

FIG. 20 is a photograph when a bending evaluation is performed on Example 6 which is subjected to a roll compression process, and FIG. 21 is a photograph when a bending evaluation is performed on Comparative Example 10 which is not subjected to a roll compression process. Table 2 shows peel strengths in Example 6 and Comparative Example 10.

	TABLE 2
	Classification	Example 6	Comparative Example 10
	Peel Strength	2.5 kgf	1.5 kgf

Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21 and Table 2, the peel strength in Example 6 which was subjected to a roll compression process was higher, and the whitening phenomenon 211 occurred in Comparative Example 10, which was not subjected to a roll compression process. The roll compression process may inhibit the whitening phenomenon.

A surface coating layer may be formed on the skin layer of the present disclosure, and after the skin layer is gravure-coated with a polycarbonate-based polyurethane aqueous surface treating agent, the surface coating layer may be formed by evaporating the aqueous solvent.

A flame retardant may not be included in the composition for forming the skin layer according to the present disclosure. This is because the flame retardant generally exhibits an opaque white color, and thus may become an obstacle to the formation of a transparent skin layer. Accordingly, the lower surface of fiber fabric may be coated with the composition for forming the skin layer by a gravure method than to add a flame retardant to the composition for forming the skin layer.

The present disclosure has been described in detail through representative Examples, but it is to be understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that various modifications are possible in the above-described Examples within the range not departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the above-described Examples.

Claims

1. A skin layer for artificial leather, comprising:

a PVC resin;

a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr; and

an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more.

2. The skin layer of claim 1, wherein the skin layer for artificial leather comprises an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr to 0.7 phr.

3. The skin layer of claim 2, wherein the skin layer for artificial leather has an average thickness of 370 μm or less.

4. The skin layer of claim 1, wherein the skin layer for artificial leather has an average thickness of 370 μm or less.

5. The skin layer of claim 1, wherein the plasticizer is one or more selected from diisodecyl phthalate, dipropyl-heptyl phthalate, trioctyl trimellitate, diisononyl phthalate, or diisononyl adipate.

6. The skin layer of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat stabilizer at 2 to 8 phr.

7. The skin layer of claim 1, further comprising:

a UV absorber at 0.2 to 0.6 phr.

8. A method for manufacturing artificial leather, the method comprising:

kneading a composition for forming a skin layer, and then forming a skin layer;

laminating fiber fabric and the skin layer at a temperature of 150 to 180° C.; and

subjecting the laminated fiber fabric and skin layer to roll compression,

wherein the composition for forming the skin layer comprises a PVC resin, a plasticizer at 84 to 90 phr, and an inorganic pigment at 0.3 phr or more.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a content of the inorganic pigment is 0.3 phr or more and less than 0.7 phr.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the laminated and compressed skin layer has an average thickness of 370 μm or less.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the composition for forming the skin layer comprises a heat stabilizer at 2 to 8 phr, or a UV absorber at 0.2 to 0.6 phr.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a kneading temperature of the composition for forming the skin layer is 120 to 160° C.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a roll compression temperature is 70 to 230° C.