Durable, absorbent latex foam composition having high vertical wicking
AssigneeDow Global Technologies LLC
InventorSteven W. Mork
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Abstract
A durable, conformable, absorbent, hydrophilic, polymeric latex foam composition having a free absorbent capacity of at least 5 grams of a 0.9 weight percent aqueous saline solution per gram of foam and capable of vertically wicking said aqueous saline solution to a height of greater than about 5 cm. In a preferred embodiment, after compression, the latex foam composition remains thin until wet, whereupon it expands and exhibits a high free absorbent capacity and high vertical wicking height.
Claims52
A composition comprising a durable, conformable, hydrophilic, polymeric latex foam, which is capable of acquiring and distributing aqueous fluids and which is characterized as being capable of vertically wicking a 0.9 weight percent aqueous saline solution to a height of greater than about 5 cm.
A process for preparing a hydrophilic polymeric latex foam comprising:
- (a) frothing a formulation comprising a reactive latex polymer, the formulation being designed to produce a durable, conformable, hydrophilic, polymeric latex foam capable of acquiring and distributing fluids and capable of vertically wicking a 0.9 weight percent aqueous saline solution to a height of greater than about 5 cm;
- (b) drawing the frothed latex formulation into a desired shape;
- (c) setting the shaped latex formulation under conditions sufficient to prepare the aforementioned durable, conformable, hydrophilic, polymeric latex foam composition;
- and
- (d) optionally, compressing the latex foam under conditions sufficient to prepare a “thin-till-wet” foam composition.
A composition comprising a durable, conformable, hydrophilic, ionic polymeric latex foam that is thin-till-wet;
- said foam having a free absorbent capacity for a 0.9 weight percent aqueous saline solution of greater than about 10 grams aqueous saline solution per gram dry foam, said foam being capable of vertically wicking said aqueous saline solution to a height greater than about 10 cm.
A durable, conformable, hydrophilic, ionic, polymeric latex foam composition which is capable of acquiring and distributing aqueous fluids, which is capable of vertically wicking a 0.9 weight percent aqueous saline solution to a height of greater than about 5 cm, and which has a free absorbent capacity for said aqueous saline solution of greater than 5 grams fluid per gram dry foam, the composition being prepared by a process comprising:
- (a) frothing a formulation comprising a reactive latex polymer based on carboxylated styrene/butadiene monomer or epoxy-functionalized styrene/butadiene monomer, an epoxy-substituted polyalkylene polyether cross-liking agent, and optionally, a foam stabilizer, a thickener, and/or an antioxidant, the pH of the formulation being adjusted to between about 7 and about 13,
- (b) drawing the frothed latex formulation into a desired shape;
- (c) setting the shaped latex formulation at a temperature between about 90° C. and about 200° C. for a time from about 5 min to about 90 min to form a latex foam;
- (d) optionally, compressing the latex foam at a pressure greater than about 28 psig (193 kPa) and less than about 700 psig (4,826 kPa) to prepare a “thin-till-wet” foam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.