Superabsorbent materials and methods of making the same
OwnerLijun Suninventor
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Abstract
Provided are superabsorbent materials composed of agar, and one or more water-soluble natural polysaccharides, and dietary compositions containing such superabsorbent materials. The disclosed superabsorbent materials have various food and therapeutic applications and can be used as loading vehicles for nutrients and therapeutic agents. Also provided are methods for preparing such superabsorbent materials.
Claims21
A method of preparing a superabsorbent material that comprises two or more water-soluble natural polysaccharides, comprising:
- Combining the two or more water-soluble natural polysaccharides with water to form a mixture;
- heating the mixture until the two or more polysaccharides are completely dissolved;
- cooling the mixture to form a gel;
- freezing the gel to obtain a frozen gel;
- thawing the frozen gel to obtain a thawed gel;
- and
- drying the thawed gel at a temperature of between 50° C. and 60° C. to obtain the superabsorbent material;
- wherein the superabsorbent material has a volume expansion ratio of at least 5 in deionized water at 25° C.
A method of preparing a superabsorbent material that comprises two or more water-soluble natural polysaccharides, comprising:
- combining the two or more water-soluble natural polysaccharides with water to form a mixture;
- heating the mixture until the two or more polysaccharides are completely dissolved;
- cooling the mixture to form a gel;
- freezing the gel to obtain a frozen gel;
- thawing the frozen gel to obtain a thawed gel;
- filtering the thawed gel to obtain a filter cake gel;
- and
- drying the filter cake gel to obtain the superabsorbent material;
- wherein the superabsorbent material has a volume expansion ratio of at least 5 in deionized water at 25° C.
A method of preparing a superabsorbent material that comprises agar, carrageenan, and konjac gum, comprising:
- combining agar, carrageenan, and konjac gum with water to form a mixture;
- heating the mixture until the agar, carrageenan, and konjac gum are completely dissolved;
- cooling the mixture to form a gel;
- freezing the gel to obtain a frozen gel;
- thawing the frozen gel to obtain a thawed gel;
- and
- drying the thawed gel to obtain the superabsorbent material;
- wherein the superabsorbent material has a volume expansion ratio of at least 5 in deionized water at 25° C.;
- and
- wherein the superabsorbent material comprises at least 10% by weight of agar or at least 20% by weight of carrageenan;
- or wherein the superabsorbent material comprises agar, carrageenan, and konjac gum at a weight ratio of 10:1:1, 1:1:1, 1:1:2, 1:2:1, 2:1:1, or 2:5:5.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.