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US4783510A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for improving a water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer and an improved polymer produced by said process

Assignee: Maruha Nichiro Corp
•
Filing: 1987-06-03
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Granted: 1988-11-08
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Expires: 2007-06-03
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Abstract

Abstract A process for improving a water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer in which the polymer is contacted with an aqueous solution containing a water soluble peroxide radical initiator, followed by heating, thereby causing substantially only the surface portion of the polymer to undergo crosslinking with the radical initiator while leaving the remaining core portion of the polymer substantially intact. The improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer is excellent in both water absorbency and water absorption rate, and the hydrogel resulting from absorption of water has a pleasant, non-sticky feel. The improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer can be advantageously utilized to produce a desirable disposable diaper, sanitary napkin, surgical pad, surgical sheet, paper towel or the like.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kazuo Saotome

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 08:16
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J3/00; C08J3/24; C08J3/245; C08J2333/00; C08J2333/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim 135 words
A process for improving a water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer with respect to absorption characteristics thereof which comprises the steps of: (1) contacting with the surface of a water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer an aqueous solution containing a water soluble peroxide radical initiator, the weight ratio of the water in said aqueous solution to said polymer being from 0.01 to 0.5, thereby causing said polymer substantially only at its surface portion to have said solution absorbed therein; and (2) heating the resulting polymer with its surface portion having said solution absorbed therein at a temperature such that said initiator is decomposed but said polymer is not decomposed, thereby causing said polymer at its surface portion to undergo crosslinking by the action of said initiator while leaving the remaining core portion of said polymer substantially intact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 135 words
A process for improving a water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer with respect to absorption characteristics thereof which comprises the steps of: (1) contacting with the surface of a water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer an aqueous solution containing a water soluble peroxide radical initiator, the weight ratio of the water in said aqueous solution to said polymer being from 0.01 to 0.5, thereby causing said polymer substantially only at its surface portion to have said solution absorbed therein; and (2) heating the resulting polymer with its surface portion having said solution absorbed therein at a temperature such that said initiator is decomposed but said polymer is not decomposed, thereby causing said polymer at its surface portion to undergo crosslinking by the action of said initiator while leaving the remaining core portion of said polymer substantially intact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said weight ratio is in the range of from 0.02 to 0.3.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said weight ratio is in the range of from 0.02 to 0.2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 3, wherein said weight ratio is in the range of from 0.03 to 0.1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said initiator is at least one member selected from the group consisting of ammonium persulfate, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, oxalic acid peroxide, acetic acid peroxide and succinic acid peroxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said initiator is contained in said aqueous solution in an amount of from 0.01 to 10% by weight based on the polymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process according to claim 6, wherein said initiator is contained in said aqueous solution in an amount of from 0.1 to 5% by weight based on the polymer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process according to claim 7, wherein said initiator is contained in said aqueous solution in an amount of from 0.2 to 2% by weight based on the polymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said aqueous solution further contains a crosslinking auxiliary.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process according to claim 9, wherein said crosslinking auxiliary is a hydrophilic polyfunctional olefinically unsaturated compound.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process according to claim 10, wherein said unsaturated compound is at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, ethylene glycol bis(meth)acrylate and polyethylene glycol bis(meth)acrylate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said aqueous solution further contains a water miscible volatile organic solvent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 32 words
A process according to claim 12, wherein said aqueous solution contains said volatile organic solvent in an amount of from 0.5 to 10 parts by volume per part by volume of water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 67 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a crosslinked acrylic acid homopolymer, a crosslinked acrylic acid copolymer, a saponification product of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and an acrylic ester, a graft crosslinked polymer of starch and acrylic acid and a hydrolyzate of a graft polymer of starch and acrylonitrile.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 31 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer is a gel capable of absorbing from 300 to 1000 g of water per g of the gel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer is in a particulate form, fibrous form or film form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process according to claim 16, wherein said polymer is in a particulate form and has an average particle diameter of from 10 to 3000 μm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process according to claim 17, wherein said polymer has an average particle diameter of from 50 to 1000 μm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process according to claim 18, wherein said polymer has an average particle diameter of from 100 to 500 μm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 25 words
A process according to claim 16, wherein said polymer is in a film form and has a film thickness of from 5 to 1000 μm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 25 words
A process according to claim 16, wherein said polymer is in a fibrous form and has a fiber diameter of from 5 to 1000 μm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said contacting is performed by spraying said aqueous solution onto the surface of the water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said decomposition of the peroxide radical initiator is completed within 10 minutes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 33 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer has carboxyl groups, from 60 to 90% by mole of which is in the form of an alkali metal salt.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 27 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said polymer with its surface portion having said aqueous solution absorbed therein is heated in an atmosphere of superheated steam.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 1.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 2.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 3.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 4.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 5.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 6.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 7.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 8.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 9.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 10.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 11.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 12.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 13.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 14.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 15.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 16.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 17.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 18.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 19.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 20.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 21.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 22.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 23.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 24.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim 14 words
An improved water absorbent polyacrylic acid polymer produced by a process of claim 25.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3418066A Cited
DE1932891A1 Cited
US4225650A Cited
JPS5270648A Cited
SU737521A1 Cited
JPS60255814A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-11-08 1992-05-09 1992-11-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-11-08 1996-05-09 1996-11-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-11-08 2000-05-09 2000-11-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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