Composition for Forming a Porous Absorbent Structure
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJohn Gavin MacDonald, Peter B. Dulcamara, Jr., Dave A. Soerens, Thomas J. Falk
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Abstract
A porous absorbent structure is disclosed which includes absorbent particles and a superabsorbent polymer material having less than about 1000 parts per million residual monoethylenically unsaturated monomer, the superabsorbent polymer material substantially coating the absorbent particles and connecting the particles into a porous network to form the porous absorbent structure.
Claims28
A method of forming a porous absorbent structure comprising the steps of:
- providing a superabsorbent polymer material having a viscosity of less than about 10,000 cps;
- adding absorbent particles into the superabsorbent polymer material to form a mixture such that the ratio by weight of superabsorbent polymer material to absorbent particles is greater than 3:1;
- spraying the mixture of superabsorbent polymer material and absorbent particles onto a form;
- and
- drying the mixture to produce a porous absorbent structure substantially conforming to the shape of the form.
A porous absorbent structure formed by the process comprising the steps of:
- providing a superabsorbent polymer material having a viscosity of less than about 10,000 cps;
- adding absorbent particles into the superabsorbent polymer material to form a mixture, wherein the ratio by weight of superabsorbent polymer material to absorbent particles in the mixture is greater than 3:1 and less than about 6:1;
- applying the mixture of superabsorbent polymer material and absorbent particles to a form;
- and
- drying the mixture to produce a porous absorbent structure substantially conforming to the shape of the form.
A porous absorbent structure comprising:
- absorbent particles;
- a superabsorbent polymer material substantially coating the absorbent particles and connecting the absorbent particles into a porous absorbent network;
- and
- wherein the ratio by weight of the superabsorbent polymer material to the absorbent particles in the porous absorbent structure is greater than 1:1 and less than 1.5:1.
An absorbent article comprising:
- an outer cover adapted to be secured to a person, the outer cover having an inner side;
- a porous absorbent structure comprising
- absorbent particles and
- a superabsorbent polymer material substantially coating the absorbent particles and connecting the particles into a porous network to form an absorbent core that is positioned on the inner side of the outer cover, wherein the ratio by weight of the superabsorbent polymer material to the absorbent particles in the porous absorbent structure is greater than 0.8:1 and less than 1.4:1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.