Water-absorbent cross-linked polymers in foam form

Abstract

Water-absorbing foamlike crosslinked polymers which are obtainable by (I) foaming a polymerizable aqueous mixture which consists of (a) monoethylenically unsaturated monomers containing acid groups, which are at least 50 mol % neutralized, (b) with or without other monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, (c) crosslinker, (d) initiators, (e) from 0.1 to 20% by weight of at least one surfactant, (f) with or without one or more solubilizers and (g) with or without thickeners, foam stabilizers, polymerization regulators, fillers and/or cell nucleating agents, the foaming being performed by dispersing fine bubbles of a gas inert to free radicals, and (II) polymerizing the foamed mixture with formation of a foamed hydrogel, with or without adjusting the water content of the foamed polymer to from 1 to 60% by weight, processes for their preparation and their use in sanitary articles which are used for absorbing body fluids and in dressing materials for covering wounds are described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.