# US 12,064,524 B2 · Absorbent fibrous composites and resulting high performance products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,064,524 B2 - Document ID: US12064524B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/574,697 - Filed: 2022-01-13 - Published: 2022-09-01 - Granted: 2024-08-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-14 - Assignees: Soane Materials LLC - Applicants: Soane Materials LLC - Inventors: David S. Soane; Juan Sebastian Colmenares; Allison Greene; Alexander Soane - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12064524B2 ## CPC - A61F 13/53: characterised by the absorbing medium (A61F13/20 takes precedence) - A61L 15/225: {Mixtures of macromolecular compounds} - A61F 13/15642: {by depositing continuous layers or pads of fibrous material on single sheets or webs} - A61L 15/28: Polysaccharides or their derivatives {(A61L15/225 takes precedence)} - A61L 15/425: {Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges} - A61L 15/44: Medicaments - A61L 15/46: Deodorants or malodour counteractants, e.g. to inhibit the formation of ammonia or bacteria - A61L 15/60: Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents - A61F 2013/530379: {comprising mixtures of fibres} - A61F 2013/530386: {with pulp and polymeric} - A61F 2013/530481: {having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials} - A61L 2420/02: Methods for coating medical devices - 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 The invention encompasses composite materials having a fibrous core that is at least partially covered by a water-swellable coating layer in which the water-swellable coating layer includes a water-swellable polymer. The invention also encompasses methods for manufacturing such a composite material, and further encompasses articles of manufacture made from such composite materials and methods for manufacturing such articles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composite material, comprising a fluff pulp fiber that is at least partially coated by a water-swellable coating layer, wherein the water-swellable coating layer comprises a first water-swellable polymer and a second water-swellable polymer, wherein the first water-swellable polymer is a carboxyalkyl cellulose and the second water-swellable polymer is xanthan gum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composite material of claim 1, wherein the first water-swellable polymer and the second water-swellable polymer are organized in a heterogenous polymer network formed by charge-charge complexation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composite material of claim 1, wherein the water-swellable coating layer comprises a foam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The composite material of claim 3, wherein the foam is sustained or formed by a foam-producing material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The composite material of claim 4, wherein the foam-producing material comprises a surfactant. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composite material of claim 1, wherein the water-swellable coating layer comprises one or more additives not having water-swellable properties. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The composite material of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more additives is selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, skin rejuvenating agents, medications, odor absorbers or neutralizers, and fragrances. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composite material of claim 1, wherein the carboxyalkyl cellulose is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composite material of claim 1, wherein the first water-swellable polymer and the second water-swellable polymer forms a hydrogel upon contact with water. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The composite material of claim 1, wherein the water-swellable polymer layer is crosslinked. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The composite material of claim 10, wherein the water-swellable polymer layer is crosslinked only on its surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An article of manufacture comprising the composite material of claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the article is a personal care product. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing the composite material of claim 1, comprising: providing the fluff pulp fiber in dry or wet form; mixing the fluff pulp fiber with an aqueous suspension of the first water-swellable polymer and the second water-swellable polymer to form a coating mixture; applying the coating mixture to the fluff pulp fiber to form a coated fluff pulp fiber having a substantially uniform coating; and forming the coated fluff pulp fiber into a sheet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of forming an absorbent article, comprising: i) treating the composite material of claim 1 with a mechanical separation process to increase interfiber separation; ii) drying the composite material before or after the step i, thereby forming a dried absorbent fibrous product; and iii) cutting the dried absorbent fibrous product into a shape suitable for the absorbent article.