Polymeric bland of a matrix resin and absorbent resin and a multivalent metal ion crosslinking agent

Claim 2

A liquid-absorbent composition comprising a blend of: (a) a polymeric matrix component comprising at least one crosslinkable polymer derived from the copolymerization of 80 to 99 parts by weight at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer and from 1 to 20 parts by weight of at least one monomer having an acidic group, (b) at least one liquid-absorbent component comprising a water-absorbent polymer, and (c) a multivalent metal ion as a crosslinking agent for said polymeric matrix component, said composition capable of forming semi-interpenetrating networks wherein said polymeric matrix component is crosslinked and said at least one liquid-absorbent component is uncrosslinked, provided that said polymeric matrix component is different from said at least one liquid-absorbent component.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1, wherein said α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer is hydrophobic.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 2, wherein said polymeric matrix component comprises monomeric units selected from the group consisting of: (1) acrylates and methacrylates having the structure: ##STR13## wherein R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , and R 2 represents a member selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having up to 18 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic group having up to 9 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having up to 14 carbon atoms, and an oxygen containing heterocyclic group having up to 10 carbon atoms; (2) acrylonitrile or methacrylonitile; (3) styrene or α-methylstyrene having the structure: ##STR14## where X and Y independently represent hydrogen or alkyl groups having up to 4 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, alkyl halide group, or OR m where R m represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 4 carbon atoms, and Z represents hydrogen or methyl; and (4) vinyl acetate.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1, wherein said α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer is hydrophilic.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 4, wherein said hydrophilic monomer is selected from the group consisting of: (1) Vinyl lactams having the repeating structure: ##STR15## where n represents the integer 2 or 3. (2) Acrylamide or methacrylamide having the structure: ##STR16## where R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , R 5 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms, R 6 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms, and hydroxy-substituted alkyl groups or alkoxy-substituted alkyl groups having the structure of --(CH 2 ) p --OR 7 where p represents an integer from 1 to 3, inclusive, and R 7 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms. (3) Tertiary amino alkylacrylates or tertiary amino alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR17## where q represents the integer 1 or 2, and R 1 and R 5 are as described previously, and each R 5 can be the same or different. (4) Alkoxy alkylacrylates, hydroxy alkylacrylates, alkoxy alkylmethacrylates, or hydroxy alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR18## where r represents an integer from 1 to 4, inclusive, preferably 2 or 3, R 1 is as described previously, and R 8 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. (5) Alkoxy acrylates or alkoxy methacrylates having the structure: ##STR19## where s represents an integer from 5 to 25, inclusive, and R 1 is as described previously.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 1, wherein said polymeric liquid-absorbent component comprises nitrogen-containing polar compounds.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 6, wherein said polymeric liquid-absorbent component comprises polymers formed from monomeric units selected from the group consisting of: (1) Vinyl lactams having the repeating structure: ##STR20## where n represents the integer 2 or 3. (2) Tertiary amino alkylacrylates or tertiary amino alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR21## where R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , R 5 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms, and m represents the integer 1 or 2, and each R 5 can be the same or different. (3) Alkyl quaternary amino alkylacrylates or alkyl quaternary amino alkylmethacrylates.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 1, wherein said multivalent metal ion is chromium.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 1, wherein said matrix component comprises from about 23.5% to about 98.5% of said composition, said liquid-absorbent component comprises from about 1% to about 70.5% of said composition, and said crosslinking agent comprises from about 0.5% to about 6% of said composition.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 1, wherein said matrix component comprises from about 30% to about 57% of said composition, said liquid-absorbent component comprises from about 38% to about 69% of said composition, and said crosslinking agent comprises from about 1% to about 4.5% of said composition.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 1, wherein said liquid-absorbent component comprises a water-soluble polymer or a water-swellable polymer.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 1, wherein said liquid-absorbent component comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, copolymers of vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate, polyvinyl formal, polyvinyl butyral, gelatin, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl starch, polyethyl oxazoline, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, and polypropylene oxide.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 12, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene oxide.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 1, wherein said liquid-absorbent component comprises a polyvinyl lactam.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 14, wherein said polyvinyl lactam is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 1, wherein said at least monomer having an acidic group is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

Claim 18

A liquid-absorbent composition comprising a blend of: (a) a polymeric matrix component comprising at least one crosslinkable polymer derived from hydrolysis of a polymer formed from at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a pendant ester group, (b) at least one liquid-absorbent component comprising a water-absorbent polymer, and (c) a multivalent metal ion as a crosslinking agent for said polymeric matrix component, said composition capable of forming semi-interpenetrating networks wherein said polymeric matrix component is crosslinked and said at least one liquid-absorbent component is uncrosslinked, provided that said polymeric matrix component is different from said at least one liquid-absorbent component.

Claim 19

A liquid-absorbent composition comprising a blend of: (a) a polymeric matrix component comprising at least one crosslinkable polymer derived from hydrolysis of a polymer formed from at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a pendant ester group, (b) at least one liquid-absorbent component comprising a water-absorbent polymer, and (c) a multivalent metal ion as a crosslinking agent for said polymeric matrix component, said composition capable of forming semi-interpenetrating networks wherein said polymeric matrix component is crosslinked and said at least one liquid-absorbent component is uncrosslinked, provided that said polymeric matrix component is different from said at least one liquid-absorbent component.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 17, wherein said α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer is hydrophobic.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 18, wherein said polymeric matrix component comprises monomeric units selected from the group consisting of: (1) acrylates and methacrylates having the structure: ##STR22## wherein R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , and R 2 represents a member selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having up to 18 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic group having up to 9 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having up to 10 carbon atoms; (2) acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile; (3) styrene or α-methylstyrene having the structure: ##STR23## where X and Y independently represent hydrogen or alkyl groups having up to 4 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, alkyl halide group, or OR m where R m represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 4 carbon atoms, and Z represents hydrogen or methyl; and (4) vinyl acetate.

Claim 22

The composition of claim 17, wherein said α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer is hydrophilic.

Claim 23

The composition of claim 20, wherein said hydrophilic monomer is selected from the group consisting of: (1) Vinyl lactams having the repeating structure: ##STR24## where n represents the integer 2 or 3. (2) Acrylamide or methacrylamide having the structure: ##STR25## where R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , R 5 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms, R 6 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms, and hydroxy-substituted alkyl groups or alkoxy-substituted alkyl groups having the structure of --(CH 2 ) p --OR 7 where p represents an integer from 1 to 3, inclusive, and R 7 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms. (3) Tertiary amino alkylacrylates or tertiary amino alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR26## where q represents the integer 1 or 2, and R 1 and R 5 are as described previously, and each R 5 can be the same or different. (4) Alkoxy alkylacrylates, hydroxy alkylacrylates, alkoxy alkylmethacrylates, or hydroxy alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR27## where r represents an integer from 1 to 4, inclusive, R 1 is as described previously, and R 8 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. (5) Alkoxy acrylates or alkoxy methacrylates having the structure: ##STR28## where s represents an integer from 5 to 25, inclusive, and R 1 is as described previously.

Claim 24

The composition of claim 17, wherein said polymeric liquid-absorbent component comprises nitrogen-containing polar compounds.

Claim 25

The composition of claim 22, wherein said polymeric liquid-absorbent component comprises polymers formed from monomeric units selected from the group consisting of: (1) Vinyl lactams having the repeating structure: ##STR29## where n represents the integer 2 or 3. (2) Tertiary amino alkylacrylates or tertiary amino alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR30## where R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , R 5 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms, and m represents the integer 1 or 2, and each R 5 can be the same or different. (3) Alkyl quaternary amino alkylacrylates or alkyl quaternary amino alkylmethacrylates.

Claim 26

The composition of claim 17, wherein said multivalent metal ion is chromium.

Claim 27

The composition of claim 17, wherein said matrix component comprises from about 23.5% to about 98.5% of said composition, said liquid-absorbent component comprises from about 1% to about 70.5% of said composition, and said crosslinking agent comprises from about 0.5% to about 6% of said composition.

Claim 28

The composition of claims 17, wherein said matrix component comprises from about 30% to about 57% of said composition, said liquid-absorbent component comprises from about 38% to about 69% of said composition, and said crosslinking agent comprises from about 1% to about 4.5% of said composition.

Claim 29

The composition of claim 17, wherein said liquid-absorbent component comprises a water-soluble polymer or a water-swellable polymer.

Claim 30

The composition of claim 17, wherein said liquid-absorbent component comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, copolymers of vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate, polyvinyl formal, polyvinyl butyral, gelatin, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl starch, polyethyl oxazoline, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, and polypropylene oxide.

Claim 31

The composition of claim 28, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene oxide.

Claim 32

The composition of claim 17, wherein said liquid-absorbent component comprises a polyvinyl lactam.

Claim 33

The composition of claim 30, wherein said polyvinyl lactam is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.