Absorbent materials having high stiffness and fast absorbency rates

• US 20030139715A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: M. Uttecht, Cathleen, Birbiglia Lange, Nancy, Tsai, Fu-Jya Daniel, Ranganathan, Sridhar, Zhang, Xiaomin, Chakravarty, Jayant, Qin, Jian, Dodge, Richard Norris II
• Application Number:
  US10/291,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/368
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/60 Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents

Abstract

Disclosed are absorbent composites, useful in an absorbent article, having a superabsorbent material having a high stiffness and a fast absorption rate. The superabsorbent materials of the absorbent composites of this invention have a stiffness index of greater than about 0.87 and a vortex time of less than about 40 seconds. Absorbent composites of this invention can have a high liquid intake rate and a rapid liquid lock-up. Absorbent composites of this invention can have an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeter liquid/second at an 80% absorbent composite saturation level and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.70 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation. The absorbent composites of this invention can be a freeze-dried composite, an airformed absorbent composite, or other fibrous or non-fibrous absorbent composites.

Claims

1. An absorbent composite, comprising:

water-insoluble fibers; and

a superabsorbent material, the superabsorbent material having a stiffness index of greater than about 0.87 and a vortex time of less than about 40 seconds.

2. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

3. The absorbent composite of claim 2, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

4. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 0.92.

5. The absorbent composite of claim 4, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

6. The absorbent composite of claim 5, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

7. The absorbent composite of claim 4, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 1.0.

8. The absorbent composite of claim 7, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

9. The absorbent composite of claim 8, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

10. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the water-insoluble fibers comprise hydrophilic fibers.

11. The absorbent composite of claim 10, wherein the water-insoluble fibers comprise hydrophilically treated hydrophobic fibers.

12. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of an anionic polymer, a cationic polymer, an acidic polymer, a basic polymer, and combinations thereof.

13. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of sodium-polyacrylate, polyvinyl amines, and combinations thereof.

14. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite comprises the superabsorbent material in a weight amount of about 10 to 70 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent composite.

15. The absorbent composite of claim 14, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a water-insoluble fiber in a weight amount of about 30 to 90 weight percent, based on total weight of the absorbent composite.

16. The absorbent composite of claim 15, wherein the absorbent composite further comprises a binder in a weight amount of about 0 to 20 weight percent, based on total weight of the absorbent composite.

17. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite comprises an airformed absorbent composite.

18. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a wetformed absorbent composite.

19. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a freeze-dried composite.

20. An absorbent article comprising

a liquid-permeable body-side liner;

an absorbent composite, including water-insoluble fibers and a superabsorbent material, the superabsorbent material having a stiffness index of greater than about 0.87 and a vortex time of less than about 40 seconds; and

a substantially liquid-impermeable outer cover adjacent to the absorbent composite material.

21. The absorbent composite of claim 20, wherein the superabsorbent material has vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

22. The absorbent composite of claim 21, wherein the superabsorbent material has vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

23. The absorbent composite of claim 20, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 0.92.

24. The absorbent composite of claim 23, wherein the superabsorbent material has vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

25. The absorbent composite of claim 24, wherein the superabsorbent material has vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

26. The absorbent composite of claim 23, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 1.0.

27. The absorbent composite of claim 26, wherein the superabsorbent material has vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

28. The absorbent composite of claim 27, wherein the superabsorbent material has vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

29. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the superabsorbent material includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of sodium-polyacrylate, polyvinyl amines, and combinations thereof.

30. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a freeze-dried fibrous composite.

31. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent composite comprises an airformed absorbent composite.

32. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a wetformed absorbent composite.

33. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a non-fibrous absorbent composite.

34. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent article is selected from the group consisting of a diaper, a training pant, a swim wear garment, an adult incontinence garment, a feminine hygiene product, a medical absorbent product.

35. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.70 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

40. The absorbent composite of claim 35, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

41. The absorbent composite of claim 40, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

36. An absorbent composite, comprising:

water-insoluble fibers; and

a superabsorbent material, the superabsorbent material having a stiffness index of greater than about 0.87 and a vortex time of less than about 40 seconds;

wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.70 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

37. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.75 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

38. The absorbent composite of claim 37, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.80 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

39. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 2.3 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.70 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

42. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 0.92.

43. The absorbent composite of claim 42, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

44. The absorbent composite of claim 42, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

45. The absorbent composite of claim 42, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 1.0.

48. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the water-insoluble fibers comprise hydrophilic fibers.

49. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the superabsorbent material includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of sodium-polyacrylate, polyvinyl amines, and combinations thereof

50. The absorbent composite of claim 37, wherein the absorbent composite comprises the superabsorbent material in a weight amount of about 10 to 70 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent composite.

51. The absorbent composite of claim 50, wherein the absorbent composite comprises the fibers in a weight amount of about 30 to 60 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent composite.

52. The absorbent composite of claim 51, further comprising a binder material in a weight amount of about 1 to 20 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent composite

53. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the absorbent composite comprises an airformed absorbent composite.

54. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a wetformed absorbent composite.

55. The absorbent composite of claim 36, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a freeze-dried composite.

46. The absorbent composite of claim 46, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

47. The absorbent composite of claim 46, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

56. An absorbent composite comprising a superabsorbent material and a non-fibrous structure, the superabsorbent material having a stiffness index of greater than about 0.87 and a vortex time of less than about 40 seconds.

57. The absorbent composite of claim 56, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

58. The absorbent composite of claim 57, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

59. The absorbent composite of claim 56, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 0.92.

60. The absorbent composite of claim 59, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

61. The absorbent composite of claim 60, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

62. The absorbent composite of claim 59, wherein the superabsorbent material has a stiffness index of greater than about 1.0.

63. The absorbent composite of claim 62, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 30 seconds.

64. The absorbent composite of claim 63, wherein the superabsorbent material has a vortex time of less than about 20 seconds.

65. The absorbent composite of claim 56, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.70 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

66. The absorbent composite of claim 65, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.75 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

67. The absorbent composite of claim 66, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.80 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

68. The absorbent composite of claim 65, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 2.3 cubic centimeters of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution per second at 80% absorbent composite saturation and a liquid lock-up fraction of at least about 0.70 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.