Use of polyglycerol aliphatic ether emulsifiers in making high internal phase emulsions that can be polymerized to provide absorbent foams

A process for the preparation of a polymeric foam material, which comprises the steps of:

• I) forming a water-in-oil emulsion from:
• A) an oil phase comprising:
• 1) from about 65 to about 98% by weight of a monomer component capable of forming a polymer having a Tg of about 35.degree. C. or lower and comprising:
• a) from about 30 to about 85% by weight of at least one substantially water-insoluble monomer having at least one substantially water-insoluble monofunctional monomer capable of forming an atactic amorphous polymer having a Tg of about 25.degree. C. or lower;
• b) from 0 to about 40% by weight of at least one substantially water-insoluble monofunctional comonomer;
• and
• c) from about 5 to about 40% by weight of at least one substantially water-insoluble, polyfunctional crosslinking agent;
• and
• 2) from about 2 to about 35% by weight of an emulsifier component which is soluble in the oil phase and which is suitable for forming a stable water-in-oil emulsion, said emulsifier component comprising at least about 40% linear diglycerol monoaliphatic ethers and at least about 60% polyglycerol aliphatic ethers having C.sub.10 -C.sub.24 aliphatic groups;
• and
• B) a water phase comprising an aqueous solution containing:
• 1) from about 0.2 to about 20% by weight of a water-soluble electrolyte;
• and
• 2) an effective amount of a polymerization initiator;
• C) a volume to weight ratio of the water phase to the oil phase in the range of from about 12:1 to about 125:1;
• II) polymerizing the monomer component in the oil phase of the water-in-oil emulsion to form a polymeric foam material.