Patent ID: 8519041

Claim:
A method to make a high-capacity superabsorbent polymer composition comprising the steps of: a) preparing a superabsorbent polymer by the process of polymerizing from about 55% to about 99.9% by weight of polymerizable unsaturated acid group containing monomer based on the superabsorbent polymer, and from about 0.001% to about 5% by weight of an internal crosslinking agent based on the polymerizable unsaturated acid group containing monomer, and wherein the superabsorbent polymer has a degree of neutralization of greater than about 25%; b) preparing superabsorbent polymer particles from the superabsorbent polymer; c) treating the superabsorbent polymer particles with surface additives including: i) from about 0.001% to about 5% by weight of surface crosslinking agent based on the superabsorbent polymer composition; ii) from about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of a water-insoluble, inorganic metal compound based on the superabsorbent polymer composition wherein said water-insoluble inorganic metal compound is selected from a calcium phosphate, titanium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, iron phosphate, titanium borate, aluminum borate, iron borate magnesium borate, manganese borate, or calcium borate; iii) from about 0.01% to about 0.5% cationic polymer based on the superabsorbent polymer composition is applied on the particle surface; iv) from about 0.01% to about 0.5% of a thermoplastic polymer that is selected from polyolefin, polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer, styrene copolymers, ethylene alkyl methacrylate copolymer, polypropylene, maleated polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, polyamide, polyester, blends thereof, or copolymers thereof; d) heat-treating the coated superabsorbent polymer particle wherein the heat-treating may be done after application of the surface crosslinking agent.