METHOD FOR PROCESSING PLANT MATERIAL AND RESPECTIVE PRODUCT

Abstract

A method for processing plant material for converting such material into a product with leather-like properties comprises chemical processing, or tanning, of the plant material to convert same into a feather-like material. The method comprises at least the steps of chemical processing, drying, and welding. The end-product is characterized by its similarity to leather and may be used in diverse areas of industry, such as clothing, footwear, bags, accessories, furniture, inter alia.

Claims

1. A process of treating plant material, comprising the steps of: a) chemical treatment of plant material; b) drying a product obtained in the chemical treatment step; and c) welding the product obtained in the product drying step.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein it further comprises the following step: d) thermoplastic treatment of the product obtained in step b.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the chemical treatment of plant material comprises acidification, whitening, lubrication, tanning and fixation.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising repeating the tanning and fixation.

5. The process of claim 3, further comprising one or more steps of buffering, acidification or alkalinization.

6. The process of claim 3, wherein it optionally comprises one or more steps of sterilizing the plant material.

7. The process of claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic treatment of the material obtained in step b is carried out with a thermoplastic binder.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the plant material is selected from leaf, flower, fruit, pseudofruit, infructescence, stem, root and seed, as well as parts thereof.

9. A product formed by the process of claim 1.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein aqueous content of the plant material is replaced by non-aqueous compounds.

11. The product of claim 9, wherein the plant material comprises intact vegetable fibers.

12. The product of claim 9, wherein the plant material is selected from leaf, flower, fruit, pseudofruit, infructescence, stem, root and seed, as well as parts thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 shows examples of the product claimed herein.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows the product submitted to abrasion test.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows a comparison between a newly product (A) claimed herein and another that underwent an aging acceleration test (B) (72 h at 100 C.).

[0018] FIG. 4 shows a footwear made of the product claimed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The first embodiment describes a process for treating plant material to transform it into a product whose appearance and physical characteristics are similar to leather. The process comprises the basic steps of chemically treating the plant material, drying and welding the product.

[0020] In a specific embodiment of the process, the chemical treatment of the plant material comprises acidification, whitening, lubrication, tanning and fixation. The step of chemically treating the plant material can be done, for example, in a pot, or similar container, comprising the necessary chemical components, or in industrial machines suitable for the process.

[0021] The acidification substep can be done with any organic acid, e.g., formic acid or acetic acid. The whitening substep can be done with any bleaching agent, like sodium chlorite or sodium hypochlorite. The lubrication step can be done, for example, with sulfide oils, sulphated oils, fatty alcohol, fish oil, vegetable oil, mineral oil and synthetic oils.

[0022] The tanning substep could still be divided, by an individual skilled in the art under discussion, between pre-tanning and tanning. However, to simplify the description and facilitate the understanding of the process, the substep is simply named tanning, and the following ingredients are examples of compounds that may be useful for tanning the plant organic material: glutaraldeide, phosphonium, oxyziridine, sulphone, phenolic synthetic tannin, vegetable tannin, micronized tare, chromium, aluminum, zirconium, acrylic resin and various polymers.

[0023] The fixing substep can be performed, for example, with an organic acid, like formic acid or acetic acid.

[0024] In an alternative embodiment of the process, the chemical treatment step of the plant material still comprises sterilization; washing; and buffering, acidification or alkalinization of the chemical treatment environment. Such optional steps can be done at any time in the process, according to the need to stabilize the system and prevent growth of microorganisms, like fungi and bacteria.

[0025] For example, a sterilization, buffering, acidification or alkalinization step can be done between steps, for example, between acidification and whitening; between tanning and lubrication; between lubrication and tanning; between tanning or lubrication and fixation; or even concomitantly with any of acidification, whitening, tanning, lubrication or fixation steps.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the process, the substeps of tanning and lubrication are repeated during the process. For example, such substeps can be carried out after whitening, after lubrication or after a sterilization step and buffering, acidification or alkalinization.

[0027] Optionally, the process claimed herein further comprises a step of thermoplastic treatment of the product obtained in the welding step. A thermoplastic binder can be used in such step, e.g., polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Thermoplastic treatment can be done, for example, with an atomizer apparatus.

[0028] Steps for strengthening the obtained product, like gluing or sewing with other material that provides greater tear resistance, can be included in the process claimed herein.

[0029] The drying step can be done in any environment under convection currents, whether outdoor or in an appropriate industrial apparatus, in a manner that the entire product surface of step A is exposed to such currents, so that drying occurs efficiently. Drying can occur at room temperature, or in a greenhouse, at a temperature of 25-75 C., preferably from 30-60 C., or from 40-50 C.

[0030] By its turn, product welding obtained can be carried out according to a method and using an appropriate anchoring film, for example, the method and film described in patent PI 0103938-5 of Sep. 6, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, after welding, the finishing and final coloring of the product may be carried out to achieve various aesthetic effects.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the process, the plant material can be selected from leaf, flower, fruit, infructescence, stem, root and seed, and parts thereof.

[0032] It is also claimed herein a product obtained by the processes described above. This product is characterized by comprising plant material transformed by the process described above.

[0033] The product claimed herein can be also characterized by the fact that the plant material has its aqueous content replaced by non-aqueous compounds, like oils and glycerin. The aqueous content can be fully or partially replaced. Optionally, the product claimed herein can be also characterized by comprising intact vegetable fibers.

EXAMPLE

[0034] The following example aims only to illustrate what has been described above, in order to facilitate the understanding of a person skilled in the art. However, it is not intended to limit the description or the scope of this patent to the embodiments below:

[0035] The chosen plant material were leaves, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0036] Acidification of plant material can be done in aqueous solution of formic acid 0.5%-10%, in pH from 1.5 to 4.5, for a period of 24 hours. After that, the plant material can be bleached in sodium chlorite 0.1%-10%, for 30 minutes, and lubricated with glycerin 1%-40% and synthetic oil 0.5%-6% for 24 hours. Tanning of plant material can be done with glutaraldehyde 1%-8% and phosphonium 1%-8%, and the material can be sterilized with a fungicide. In order to balance the pH, a sodium acetate buffer 0.4-4.8% can be used to keep pH between 3 and 7. At that time, a lubrication step may be desirable and, for this purpose, glycerin 1%-40% can be used. For a new tanning of the material, tanning substances, like sulphone 2%-27% and acrylic resin 1%-17%, can be used. So far, the processed plant material can be washed with water and optionally with sodium bicarbonate.

[0037] Continuing the tanning process, synthetic oil 1%-20%, lecithin oil 1%-20%, synthetic polymer 1%-20%, glycerin 1%-20% and acrylic resin 1%-17% can be used, for example, for 2 hours. To finish the process, the plant material can pass again through treatment with fungicides before fixation, which can be performed with formic acid 0.5%-10%.

[0038] Treated leaves can be exposed to convection currents, e.g., outdoor. After drying, the leaves can pass through the welding step, as described in patent PI 0103938-5 of Sep. 6, 2011. After welding, the leaves can optionally undergo the treatment with thermoplastics, paints and others, obtaining a product as shown in FIG. 1.

[0039] The product obtained in the example above has the following physical properties described in the tables below:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Abrasion resistance 500 g/500 cycles/abrasive There was light wheels CS-10 wear on finish Mass loss 6.6 mg

[0040] The method for determining the data indicated in table 1 is based on standard DIN EM 14327:04. FIG. 2 shows the product before and after being submitted to abrasion test.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Tear load Sample A Sample B Thickness 0.70 mm 0.77 mm Maximum tear load 31.3N 38.0N

[0041] Tear load determination is based on standard DIN EM ISSO 3377-3:03/IUP 8.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Tensile strength and extension percentage Sample A Sample B Thickness 0.80 mm 1.0 mm Load on breakage 126.2N 154.7N Stress on breakage 15.7N/mm.sup.2 15.5N/mm.sup.2 Stretching on breakage 185.8% 236.0%

[0042] The determination of data in table 3 was made according to DIN EM ISO 3374:12

[0043] The physical similarities between leather and the product claimed herein allow the use of the product currently claimed like leather, in various applications.