Rationally engineered smart automotive upholstery leather based on gradient feeding in situ one-pot reaction in microreactors of natural skin†

The smart automobile sector, a burgeoning industry today, demands high standards for the manufacturing and performance of smart automotive upholstery leather, driven by continuous innovations in smart technology, comfort, and aesthetics. Herein, natural leather is utilized as a multiscale microporous reactor to create the chemical environment necessary for the preparation of a new smart material (ACG leather), which combines the traditional tannery process with a “gradient feeding in situ one-step preparation strategy”. Leveraging the unique porous structure of attapulgite (ATP) with the incorporation of chitosan (CS) and glycerol triglycidyl ether (GTE), the ACG leather integrates radiation cooling performance (outdoor experiments demonstrate a temperature drop of 8.69 °C), color modulation properties, effective shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI) (approximately 5.8 dB) and acoustic noise reduction (sound pressure level >22 dB in the frequency range of 992–6400 Hz). Additionally, the bactericidal properties of ACG leather (E. coli inhibition zone diameter = 14 mm, S. aureus inhibition zone diameter = 9 mm), yellowing resistance, mechanical properties (tensile strength of 24.40 MPa, tear strength of 73.52 N mm⁻¹, elongation at break of 91.45%), flame retardancy (LOI = 29.3%), and biodegradability align with sustainable development goals. The advanced design and versatility of ACG leather demonstrate the possibilities for incorporating advanced materials into smart automotive upholstery design, breaking away from traditional manufacturing methods that rely on more material components and complex processes.