Patent ID: 8641869

Claim:
A method for making superabsorbent particles, comprising: (a) blending a carboxyalkyl cellulose polymer and a starch polymer in water to provide an aqueous gel; wherein the starch polymer is cooked or pre-gelatinized and is selected from waxy starches or starches composed of only amylose and amylopectin; (b) mixing the aqueous gel with a non-permanent metal crosslinking agent to provide a crosslinked gel; (c) drying the crosslinked gel to provide a solid; and (d) comminuting the solid to provide a plurality of particles, wherein the particles comprises from about 1 to about 20 percent by weight starch based on the weight of the particles, have a free swell capacity of 30 to 54.1 g/g for 0.9% saline solution and have non-permanent metal crosslinks formed both intermolecularly and intramoleculary in the population of polymer molecules, and wherein the crosslinks are not covalent crosslinks.