Biodegradable, Industrially Compostable, and/or Recyclable Extruded Leather-Like Materials

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an artificial leather material that is recyclable, or biodegradable and/or industrially compostable, and methods for making the same. In some embodiments, an 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 includes or consists of one or more bio-derived polymers. In further embodiments, an 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 at least the outer polymer layer includes or consists of one or more recyclable polymers.

1 . A method of manufacturing a biodegradable and/or industrially compostable leather-like material, the method comprising:
 providing a thermoplastic biopolymer and a bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet, wherein the thermoplastic biopolymer and the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet are biodegradable and/or industrially compostable;   feeding the thermoplastic biopolymer into a mixer to produce a molten biopolymer material;   coating a surface of the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet with the molten biopolymer material, wherein the molten biopolymer material forms an outer polymer layer attached to the surface of the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet; and   embossing the outer polymer layer to produce 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), polyhydroxy alkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the molten biopolymer material into a first mixing roller, and feeding the molten biopolymer material from the first mixing roller into a strainer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising feeding the molten biopolymer material from the strainer into a calendaring machine where the molten biopolymer material is coated onto the surface of the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles a pattern or texture of a natural animal leather. 
     
     
         8 . A biodegradable and industrially compostable leather-like material produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         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 non-woven fabric core layer; and   a polymer layer disposed on a surface of the non-woven fabric core layer, the polymer layer comprising one or more of polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxy alkanoate (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), polybutylene adipate (PBA), or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a recyclable leather-like material, the method comprising:
 providing a thermoplastic polymer and a non-woven fiber sheet, wherein the thermoplastic polymer and the non-woven fiber sheet consist of one or more recyclable polymer materials;   feeding the thermoplastic polymer into a mixer to produce a molten polymer material;   coating a surface of the non-woven fiber sheet with the molten polymer material, wherein the molten polymer material forms an outer polymer layer attached to the surface of the non-woven fiber sheet; and   embossing the outer polymer layer to produce a surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises one or more of polyether block amide (PEBA), polyamide 6, polyamide 6/6-6, polyamide 12, or a blend containing one or more thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising feeding the molten polymer material into a first mixing roller, and feeding the molten polymer material from the first mixing roller into a strainer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising feeding the molten polymer material from the strainer into a calendaring machine where the molten polymer material is coated onto the surface of the non-woven fiber sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the non-woven fiber sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein cooling the outer polymer layer attached to the non-woven fiber sheet comprises passing the outer polymer layer and the non-woven fiber sheet between a plurality of cooling rollers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface pattern or texture on the outer polymer layer resembles a pattern or texture of a natural animal leather. 
     
     
         18 . A recyclable leather-like material produced by the method of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         19 . A shoe component comprising the recyclable leather-like material of  claim 18 . 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bio-derived non-woven fiber sheet comprises one or more plant fibers.