Superabsorbent surface-treated carboxyalkylated polysaccharides and process for producing same

A superabsorbent material comprising:

• a particle formed of a carboxyalkylated polysaccharide having a pH in a range from about 5.0 to about 10, said particle having an interior and a surface, each exhibiting a differentiated functionality;
• said interior is absorbent;
• said surface is treated with a non-crosslinking acid in the presence of an organic solvent, such that penetration depth of said non-crosslinking acid is limited to said surface, said non-crosslinking acid induces ester linkages between polysaccharide strands at said particle surface, which imparts said particle with a sufficient structural rigidity to enable said particle to maintain a discrete particle shape when contacted with a salt solution, and said superabsorbent material exhibits an absorption under load (AUL) at 0.7 psi of at least 14 g/g and a centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) of at least 18 g/g.