PU leather anti-mold agent: Building a long-lasting antibacterial protection system from the raw material end
PU leather (polyurethane synthetic leather) enjoys advantages such as soft texture, good wear resistance, cold resistance, and rich color options, and is widely used in shoe materials, luggage, car interiors, furniture, and other fields. However, the polyurethane resin, plasticizers, bonding adhesives, and other components in PU leather provide abundant nutrients for mold growth. In high-humidity environments, mold spots, unpleasant odors, and deterioration of physical properties are prone to occur, leading to product returns and even batch scrapping. Dalian tianwei has launched a dedicated anti-mold and antibacterial agent for the entire processing flow of PU leather, with the core technology of nano silver-zinc composite slow-release technology. It is compatible with various processes such as immersion, surface treatment, and coating, and realizes antibacterial protection throughout the product's life cycle from the raw material end.
01 Why does PU leather need a special anti-mold agent
The causes of PU leather mold growth
PU leather mold growth is mainly caused by the following factors:
Material characteristics: Organic substances such as polyurethane components, plasticizers, and starch in the bonding adhesive of PU leather provide nutrients for mold growth.
Porous structure: The porous fiber structure of PU leather base fabric easily adsorbs water vapor, and in a humid environment (humidity > 70%), it becomes a breeding ground for mold.
Processing risks: If the humidity is too high during immersion, coating, storage, and maritime transportation of PU leather, mold can rapidly multiply, resulting in surface mold spots and fiber corrosion.
The hazards of mold growth
Appearance quality deterioration: Mold spots cause product discoloration, black spots, white spots, and directly affect the value and brand reputation of the product.
Physical property degradation: Mold decomposes the polyurethane molecular chains in PU leather, resulting in decreased tear strength, wear resistance, and hardening and aging of the product.
Health risks: Mold spores may cause respiratory diseases or skin allergic reactions, especially posing a hazard to children and sensitive populations.
Dual antibacterial mechanism, highly effective and broad-spectrum
Silver ions: Quickly penetrate the bacterial cell membrane, destroy the enzyme system and DNA replication ability. Within 30 minutes, the inactivation rate of common pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus exceeds 99.9%.
Zinc ions: Form a persistent antibacterial protective layer, inhibit the activity of mold enzymes, with a long-lasting antibacterial rate of over 90% for 180 days. Especially effective against common molds such as Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus in PU leather.
The mold prevention grade can reach the highest standard 0 level (no visible mold growth), with an antibacterial rate of ≥ 99.9%.
