New Micro-sphere Application in the Leather Industry

摘要

The new wet end application for Micro-sphere technology to upgrade and improve the structure of the corium layer in the hide opens up a variety of innovative, technical solutions for the leather industry. Loosness and veininess problems of hides or skins could be addressed with a customized technology based on Micro-spheres, which arernpenetrated into the corium layer of the leather, and in the crust or later stage of the process expanded by a special heat treatment with saturated, pressureless steam. Loose areas and veins in the corium structure could be filled selectively and permanently with flexible, resilient Micro cells, while keeping the leather soft and light. The feasibility of this innovative upgrading technology has been demonstrated in a number of experimental trials at LANXESS, and the system is ready to be introduced into the leather industry. It is more than likely, that beside the few currently studied applications, this new micro-sphere technology opens up a large number of new applications for the future, and that it will be seen in 10 years from now as arnreal milestone in the history of wet end technology.