LEATHER WITH SELF-CLEANING PROPERTIES AND HEAT/FIRE-RESISTANCE AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

摘要

The invention relates to leather for furniture and automotive upholstery and protective footwear, surface finished with titanium dioxide nano particles doped with 10% silica with an average particle size of 46 nm and with self-cleaning properties and improved resistance to heat transmission and combustion. The process for obtaining leather with self-cleaning properties and resistance to heat/fire consists in applying the base coat containing 0.05-10% titanium dioxide nano particles (% relative to the amount of binder) doped with 10% of silica which are dispersed in an equal amount of polyethylene glycol 600 and, according to another variant, 0.01-15% sodium polyacrylate, by mechanical stirring for 10 minutes, followed by sonication for 5 minutes, with pigment paste based on macro titanium dioxide, water and acrylic binder. This composition is applied by spraying in successive coats with intermediate drying and final pressing at 110°C and 20 kgf, followed by fixation with nitrocellulose lacquer in successive coats, with intermediate drying and final pressing in the same conditions. Self-cleaning properties are provided through photocatalytic degradation of organic dirt under the influence of ultraviolet and visible light and resistance to heat transfer and combustion.