Superabsorbent polymers having anti-caking characteristics
AssigneeStockhausen GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsFang Sun, Heather S. Jones, Thomas A. Kaiser, Whei-Neen Hsu, Ronald L. Molen, Peter A. Deaton, Bernfried A. Messner
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Abstract
A particulate material composition of superabsorbent polymer particles, wherein less than about 60% by weight of the superabsorbent polymer particles will pass through a U.S. Standard 50 mesh sieve. The composition has anti-caking properties and also reduced dusting. The composition can be produced by mixing the superabsorbent polymer particles with an inorganic powder, such as clay.
Claims67
A particulate material composition comprising an inorganic powder intermixed with particles of superabsorbent polymer, said polymer particles being of such size that less than about 60% of said polymer particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 50 mesh sieve with 300 micrometer openings, and wherein the composition exhibits anti-caking characteristics in that more than about 90% of the composition particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 12 mesh sieve with 1700 micrometer openings after at least about 3 hours at about 36.+-.3.degree. C. and about 77.+-.3% relative humidity.
An absorbent article comprising a particulate material composition of an inorganic powder intermixed with particles of superabsorbent polymer, said polymer particles being of such size that less than about 60% of said polymer particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 50 mesh sieve with 300 micrometer openings, and wherein the particulate material composition, prior to incorporation into the article, exhibits anti-caking characteristics in that more than about 90% of the composition particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 12 mesh sieve with 1700 micrometer openings after at least about 3 hours at about 36.+-.3.degree. C. and about 77.+-.3% relative humidity.
A method for providing anti-caking characteristics to particles of superabsorbent polymer, said method comprising:
- (A) providing superabsorbent polymer particles of such size that less than about 60% of the polymer particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 50 mesh sieve with 300 micrometer openings;
- (B) mixing an inorganic powder with the polymer particles in an amount of between about 0.2% to about 10% by weight of the polymer particles, to create a particulate material composition;
- and
- (C) achieving anti-caking characteristics in that more than about 90% of the composition particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 12 mesh sieve with 1700 micrometer openings after at least about 3 hours at about 36.+-.3.degree. C. and about 77.+-.3% relative humidity.
A method for providing anti-caking characteristics to a particulate material composition in an absorbent article, said method comprising:
- (A) providing superabsorbent polymer particles of such size that less than about 60% of the polymer particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 50 mesh sieve with 300 micrometer openings;
- (B) mixing an inorganic powder with the polymer particles in an amount of between about 0.2% to about 10% by weight of the polymer particles, to create the particulate material composition;
- (C) achieving anti-caking characteristics in that more than about 90% of the composition particles, by weight, will pass through a U.S. Standard 12 mesh sieve with 1700 micrometer openings after at least about 3 hours at about 36.+-.3.degree. C. and about 77.+-.3% relative humidity;
- and
- (D) forming an absorbent article from the particulate material composition of step (C).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.