Absorbent structure having improved liquid permeability

An absorbent structure comprising:

• a. from about 25 to about 60 weight percent hydrogel-forming polymeric material;
• b. from about 30 to about 65 weight percent wettable wood pulp fiber;
• and
• c. from about 8 to about 35 weight percent wettable meltblown fiber comprising a polyolefin;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the hydrogel forming polymeric material, wettable wood pulp fiber, and wettable meltblown fiber comprising a polyolefin in the absorbent structure, wherein the absorbent structure exhibits a Z-Direction Permeability value at about 60 percent saturation that is greater than about 75 Darcy and that is about 20 percent greater than the Z-Direction Permeability value of the absorbent structure at about 30 percent saturation, wherein the absorbent structure exhibits a Tensile Strength value in a dry condition that is at least about 50 percent greater than the Tensile Strength value exhibited by an otherwise essentially identical absorbent structure without any wettable binder fiber in a dry condition, and wherein the absorbent structure exhibits a Tensile Strength value in a 100 percent liquid saturated condition that is at least about 50 percent greater than the Tensile Strength value exhibited by an otherwise essentially identical absorbent structure without any of the wettable binder fiber in a 100 percent liquid saturated condition, wherein the Z-Direction Permeability values are determined according to the procedure described in the Test Methods section of the specification.

A disposable absorbent product comprising:

• a liquid-permeable topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent structure positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet, wherein the absorbent structure comprises:
• a. from about 20 to about 65 weight percent hydrogel-forming polymeric material;
• b. from about 25 to about 70 weight percent wettable staple fiber;
• and
• c. from greater than about 7 to about 40 weight percent wettable binder fiber;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the hydrogel-forming polymeric material, wettable staple fiber, and wettable binder fiber in the absorbent structure, wherein the absorbent structure exhibits a Z-Direction Permeability value at about 60 percent saturation that is greater than about 50 Darcy and that is not less than the Z-Direction Permeability value of the absorbent structure at about 30 percent saturation, wherein the Z-Direction Permeability values are determined according to the procedure described in the Test Methods section of the specification.