# US 12,059,334 B2 · Absorbent articles with biocompostable properties > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,059,334 B2 - Document ID: US12059334B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/039,101 - Filed: 2020-09-30 - Published: 2021-02-18 - Granted: 2024-08-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-02 - Assignees: Tethis, Inc. - Applicants: Tethis, Inc. - Inventors: Ryan Nicholas Chan; Gordon Sidney Cox; Hailey Katherine Davis; Vladimiro Nettel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12059334B2 ## CPC - A61F 13/53: characterised by the absorbing medium (A61F13/20 takes precedence) - A61F 13/15203: {Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency (chemical aspects A61L15/00)} - A61F 13/15252: {compostable or biodegradable} - A61L 15/28: Polysaccharides or their derivatives {(A61L15/225 takes precedence)} - A61L 15/42: Use of materials characterised by their function or physical properties (liquid bandages A61L26/00) - A61L 15/60: Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents - A61L 15/62: {Compostable,} hydrosoluble or hydrodegradable materials - A61L 15/64: specially adapted to be resorbable inside the body - A61F 2013/15463: {Absorbency} - A61F 2013/530051: {being made in cross-linked cellulosic fibres} - A61F 2013/530481: {having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract Disclosed is an absorbent article with biocompostable properties, such as a baby diaper or adult incontinence product. Particularly, the present invention is directed to a biocompostable absorbent sanitary article including a blend of synthetic and bio-based superabsorbent polymers with a high degree of biocompostability. The sanitary article comprises, in one embodiment, at least a top layer, a back layer, and absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core includes a superabsorbent polymer, and wherein at least the superabsorbent polymer is biocompostable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An absorbent sanitary article, comprising: a fluid-permeable top layer; a fluid-resistant back layer; and an absorbent core; wherein the absorbent core includes an absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP); wherein the SAP includes a charge modified starch-based biopolymer; wherein the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is biocompostable or biodegradable; wherein the charge modified starch-based biopolymer has a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of at least 17 g/g and an Absorbency Under Load (AUL) of at least 7 g/g at 0.7 psi in a saline solution; and wherein the SAP further comprises a polyacrylic synthetic superabsorbent material, wherein the polyacrylic synthetic superabsorbent material and the charge modified starch-based biopolymer are not chemically linked. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is between approximately 10% to approximately 50% of the SAP by weight. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the SAP has a Free Swell Capacity (FSC) of at least 41 g/g and a CRC of at least 25 g/g in the saline solution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the CRC of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is at least 22 g/g and the AUL of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is at least 9 g/g at 0.7 psi in the saline solution. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein a Free Swell Capacity (FSC) of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is at least 30 g/g in the saline solution. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the article is biocompostable or biodegradable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the biobased carbon content of the charge modified starch-based SAP is at least approximately 84%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the SAP consists of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer, wherein an absorption capacity of the absorbent core is at least approximately 540 grams in the saline solution. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the SAP consists of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer, wherein a retention capacity of the absorbent core is at least approximately 333 grams in the saline solution. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein a ratio of SAP to the absorbent fiber in the absorbent core is between approximately 70% SAP to approximately 30% the absorbent fiber and approximately 45% SAP to approximately 55% the absorbent fiber. ### Claim 11 An absorbent sanitary article, comprising: a fluid-permeable top layer; a fluid-resistant back layer; and an absorbent core; wherein the absorbent core includes an absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP); wherein the SAP includes a modified biopolymer; wherein the biobased carbon content of the modified biopolymer is at least approximately 84%; wherein the modified biopolymer has a Free Swell Capacity (FSC) of at least 30 g/g, a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of at least 17 g/g, and an Absorbency Under Load (AUL) of at least 7 g/g at 0.7 psi in a saline solution; and wherein the SAP further comprises a synthetic non-biobased superabsorbent material, wherein the synthetic non-biobased superabsorbent material and the modified biopolymer are not chemically linked, and wherein the SAP does not include a graft polymer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The article of claim 11, wherein the absorbent sanitary article, including the SAP is biodegradable or biocompostable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The article of claim 11, wherein the CRC of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is at least 22 g/g and the AUL of the charge modified starch-based biopolymer is at least 9 g/g at 0.7 psi in the saline solution. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The article of claim 11, wherein the modified biopolymer is a starch-based biopolymer. ### Claim 15 An absorbent sanitary article, comprising: a fluid-permeable top layer; a fluid-resistant back layer; and an absorbent core; wherein the absorbent core includes an absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP); wherein the SAP includes a starch-based biopolymer and a synthetic non-biobased superabsorbent material, wherein the synthetic non-biobased superabsorbent material and the starch-based biopolymer are not chemically linked; wherein the biobased carbon content of the starch-based biopolymer is at least approximately 80%; wherein the SAP does not include a graft polymer; wherein the SAP has a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of at least 17 g/g and an Absorbency Under Load (AUL) of at least 7 g/g at 0.7 psi in a saline solution. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The article of claim 15, wherein the starch-based biopolymer is between approximately 10% to approximately 50% of the SAP by weight. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The article of claim 15, wherein the starch-based biopolymer is crosslinked using at least two crosslinkers.