Material enhancement to maintain high absorbent capacity under high loads following rigorous process conditions
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsNancy Birbiglia Lange, William Grover Reeves, Shannon Kathleen Melius
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Abstract
An absorbent composite that can handle complex fluids and maintain high absorbent capacity under high loads even after the material has been subjected to rigorous processing conditions. The absorbent composite includes an inhomogeneously crosslinked superabsorbent polymer having a highly crosslinked outer shell. The surface of the superabsorbent polymer includes a protective fibrous coating material and an association agent.
Claims91
An inhomogeneously crosslinked superabsorbent particle comprising:
- a particulate coating covering the superabsorbent particle, the coated superabsorbent particle having an absorbency under load value at 0.9 psi, wherein at least 50% of the absorbency under load value at 0.9 psi is maintained subsequent to the coated superabsorbent particle undergoing a ball mill test.
An absorbent composite comprising:
- an inhomogeneously crosslinked superabsorbent polymer including a plurality of fibers attached to an outer surface of the polymer, wherein a number of the plurality of fibers extends from the outer surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the outer surface.
An absorbent composite comprising:
- an inhomogeneously crosslinked superabsorbent polymer in a shell-core form having a highly crosslinked outer shell, including a plurality of fibers attached to the outer shell and each of the plurality of fibers extends from the outer shell at an angle substantially perpendicular to the outer shell.
An absorbent composite comprising:
- an inhomogeneously crosslinked superabsorbent polymer;
- a protective, fibrous coating material;
- and
- an association agent, wherein fibers within the fibrous coating are attached to an outer surface of the polymer by at least one end and extend outward away from the outer surface of the polymer.
An absorbent composite comprising:
- an inhomogeneously crosslinked superabsorbent polymer having a highly crosslinked outer shell;
- and
- a particulate protective coating material covering the outer shell of the superabsorbent polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.