Absorbent structure

A heterogeneous mass comprising a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a vertical axis, one or more enrobeable elements and one or more discrete open cell foam pieces wherein at least one of the discrete open cell foam pieces comprises a first vacuole and a second vacuole wherein the first vacuole has a first cross sectional area, wherein the second vacuole has a second cross sectional area, wherein the first vacuole enrobes a first enrobeable element, wherein the second vacuole enrobes a second enrobeable element, wherein the first enrobeable element and the second enrobeable element exhibit different surface properties or physical geometries.

A method of creating vacuoles within a heterogeneous mass, the method comprising coating one or more enrobeable element with a surfactant to form a first coated enrobeable element, enrobing one or more enrobeable elements comprising the first coated enrobeable element with a high internal phase emulsion, polymerizing the high internal phase emulsion to form a heterogeneous mass containing a discrete open cell foam piece comprising a vacuole.