Absorbent foam materials for aqueous body fluids and absorbent articles containing such materials

A collapsed polymeric foam material which, upon contact with aqueous body fluids, expands and absorbs said fluids, said polymeric foam material comprising, when dried, a hydrophilic, flexible, non-hydrolyzed structure of interconnected open cells, which structure has a capillary suction specific surface area of from about 0.5 to 5.0 m.sup.2 /g;

• and which structure further has incorporated therein from about 0.5% to 20% by weight of residual water-insoluble emulsifier and from about 0.1% to 7% by weight of a toxicologically acceptable hygroscopic, hydrated salt;
• said structure further having,
• A) in its collapsed state;
• i) a water content of from about 4% to 15% by weight of polymeric foam material;
• and
• ii) a dry basis density of from about 0.08 to 0.3 g/cm.sup.3, and
• B) in its expanded state,
• i) a pore volume of from about 12 to 100 mL/g;
• ii) a resistance to compression deflection such that a confining pressure of 5.1 kPa produces after 15 minutes of strain from about 5% to 95% compression of the structure when it is saturated at 37.degree. C. to its free absorbent capacity with synthetic urine having a surface tension of 65.+-.5 dynes/cm;
• and
• iii) a dry basis density upon saturation to its free absorbent capacity in said synthetic urine which ranges from about 9% to 28% of its dry basis density in its collapsed state.