Lanxess launches water-based transfer coating process
06/05/2014
Other advantages it listed were good physical properties of the treated leather, versatility of surface design and a wide range of materials that the coating can be applied to using what it called a “simple and robust process”. Also, the compact machinery required to apply Aquacast can save space inside tanneries.
The Aquacast process is also simpler, the company has claimed, more robust and more reliable. Its airless spray application requires less monitoring than blade systems, while the one-component system used for the adhesion coat also helps to simplify the handling procedure. Furthermore, avoiding the use of solvents means there is no need for costly air treatment.
“Increasingly strict environmental regulations are limiting the use of solvent-based coatings for a growing number of applications,” said Lanxess’s head of new business for leather, Dr Marc Hombeck, at the time. “This patented transfer-coating technology uses water-based instead of solvent-based products.”
The process involves the coating of a release paper or mould with several layers, which are then applied to the leather substrate by means of a thermal press. After removing the substrate from the mould the desired surface pattern becomes visible.
According to Lanxess, the physical characteristics of leathers that have been coated using the Aquacast system mean they can be used in a wide range of applications, even meeting the strict requirements of the automotive sector. Furthermore, the process can be applied to a wide range of materials, from splits to highly buffed leather.
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