Patent ID: 7312268

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a water-absorbent polymer, which comprises: (I) polymerizing a polymerization mixture comprising: (a) one or more ethylenically unsaturated carboxyl-containing monomers, (b) one or more crossliniking agents, (c) optionally one or more comonomers copolymerizable with the carboxyl-containing monomer, and (d) a polymerization medium to form a crossliniked hydrogel, (II) comminutting the hydrogel to particles, and (III) drying the hydrogel; wherein an aqueous solution of a silver salt is added to the polymerization mixture prior to step (I) and the silver salt remains in salt form during polymerization, and the silver salt is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the water-absorbent polymer particles rather than solely on the surface of said particle.