Method for preparing superabsorbent polymer and superabsorbent polymer prepared thereby

A method for preparing a superabsorbent polymer, comprising:

• conducting crosslinking polymerization of water soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising monomers having acid groups of which at least a part are neutralized, in the presence of an internal crosslinking agent, to form a hydrogel polymer comprising a first crosslinked polymer;
• gel grinding the hydrogel polymer to form a gel ground hydrogel polymer;
• drying the gel ground hydrogel polymer, and grinding and sieving the dried hydrogel polymer to form base polymer powders;
• and
• heat treating the base polymer powders to progress surface crosslinking, in the presence of a surface crosslinking agent to produce the superabsorbent polymer,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• recovering fine powders, after sieving the dried hydrogel polymer;
• reassembling the fine powders in the presence of a powder type of polymer binder to provide reassembled fine powders;
• and
• introducing the reassembled fine powders in the step of gel grinding the hydrogel polymer to mix the reassembled fine powders with the hydrogel polymer before drying,
• wherein the powder type of polymer binder consists of polyethylene oxide powders having a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 to 600,000 g/mol.