Patent ID: 6835783
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: A61L,C08F

Abstract:
A process for preparing superabsorbent structures comprising:(a) preparing a high internal phase water-in oil emulsion comprising, in its aqueous dispersed phase, at least one hydrophilic monomer in aqueous solution and an initiator, (b) polymerizing the monomer in the aqueous dispersed phase to form a precursor polymer, (c) mixing the water-in-oil emulsion containing the precursor polymer with a post crosslinker and, optionally a plasticizing agent, (d) applying the emulsion resulting from step (c) onto a support material, (e) allowing or inducing coalescence of the aqueous phase under conditions sufficient to allow the emulsion to form a homogeneous polymer gel structure, and (f) drying and post crosslinking the formed gel material at a temperature sufficient to dry and cure the material, and (g) optionally, post-treating the material obtained in step (f) by post-heat treating the material, by surface modifying the material, by surface post-crosslinking the material, or by any combination of these post-treatments.