Patent ID: 7910688

Claim:
A process for the production of a superabsorbent polymer gel with recycled superabsorbent polymer fines comprising the following steps: a) treating the superabsorbent polymer fines with a caustic solution containing from about 0.1 to about 12% caustic based on the weight of the superabsorbent polymer fines to form caustic treated superabsorbent polymer fines; b) mixing the caustic treated superabsorbent polymer fines obtained in step a) with a polymerization solution containing at least one cross linking agent and a partially neutralized monomer in which the content of the caustic treated superabsorbent polymer fines relative to the total amount of the monomer is from about 0.1 to about 30 wt %; and c) polymerizing the mixture obtained in step b) to produce the superabsorbent polymer gel.