Résumé : |
There is an increasing interest in using aqueous topcoats in the leather industry.Topcoats traditionally have been the coating requiring the greatest amount of organic solvent and are therefore primary targets for solvent reduction.Waterborne topcoats offer the tanner several well-known advantages over conventional lacquers and lacquer emulsions,namely ease of clean-up and significantly reduced solvent in the work environment.The adoption,though, of waterborne topcoats into the industry has been slowed by a reluctance to compromise traditional aesthetic standards of solvent-based coatings and by the need to develop familiarity and comfort with pratical aqueous topcoat application.There is no doubt that local and federal pressures to eliminate solvents will continue.
The successful incorporation of water topcoats into the leather industry will require a thorough understanding of the needs of each market segment.Shoes,accessories,furniture upholstery,garment and automotive leather all have different needs.This paper will address the performance and aesthetic requirements of each market, the finishing systems currently used and those that are evolving,the application variations and approaches to overcoming problems inherent in aqueous systems. |