Method of manufacturing water-absorbing shaped body

• US 20040183235A1
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Company Limited
• Inventors: Fujino, Shinichi, Dairoku, Yorimichi, Irie, Yoshio
• Application Number:
  US10/764,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183235A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/496
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/10 Aqueous solvent
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/48 by ultraviolet or visible light

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a water-absorbing shaped body that is produced easily without using a thickening agent. Light is radiated onto an aqueous solution including a photo polymerization initiator and a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer. When a desired viscosity is attained, radiation of the light is stopped temporarily. Then, the aqueous solution, which is thickened, is shaped into a desired shape. Thereafter, polymerization is completed by radiating light again.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a water-absorbing shaped body, comprising the step of:

polymerizing an aqueous solution including a photo polymerization initiator and a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer by radiating light intermittently onto the aqueous solution.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the aqueous solution is polymerized on a surface of another base material or inside another base material.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the aqueous solution before the light is radiated includes a cross-linking agent in advance.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the aqueous solution further includes a radical polymerization initiator other than the photo polymerization initiator.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

polymerization is furthered by applying heat after the light is radiated.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the aqueous solution is shaped into at least one shape selected from the group consisting of a string shape, a fiber shape, a foam shape, a sheet shape, a film shape, a cubic shape, and a spherical shape.

7. A method of manufacturing a water-absorbing shaped body, comprising the step of:

radiating light onto an aqueous solution including a photo polymerization initiator and a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, so as to polymerize a part of the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer (a first polymerization step);

stopping radiation of the light, and shaping the aqueous solution, which includes a polymer as a part thereof (a shaping step); and

radiating light onto the aqueous solution, so that a rest of the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer is polymerized, the aqueous solution having been shaped and including the polymer as a part thereof (a second polymerization step).

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the aqueous solution before the first polymerization step is performed includes a cross-linking agent in advance.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the second polymerization step is performed on the aqueous solution which is being shaped and which includes the polymer as a part thereof.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the aqueous solution further includes a radical polymerization initiator other than the photo polymerization initiator.

11. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

polymerization is furthered by applying heat in the second polymerization step.

12. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the shaping step is performed on a fiber base material or inside a fiber base material.

13. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the shaping step is performed right after the first polymerization step.

14. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the first polymerization step and the shaping step are performed on a continuous belt.

15. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the aqueous solution is shaped into at least one shape selected from the group consisting of a string shape, a fiber shape, a foam shape, a sheet shape, a film shape, a cubic shape, and a spherical shape.