Absorbent materials having improved fluid intake and lock-up properties

• US 6,689,934 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsai, Fu-Jya Daniel, Ranganathan, Sridhar, Lange, Nancy Birbiglia, Chakravarty, Jayant, Uttecht, Cathleen M., Dodge, Richard Norris II, Zhang, Xiaomin, Qin, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIDWELL, MICHELE M
• Application Number:
  US10/291,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 604/367-377
• US Class Current: 604/367
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/60 Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2484 Coating or impregnation is water absorbency-increasing or hydrophilicity-increasing or hydrophilicity-imparting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/659 Including an additional nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/692 Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/696 Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/699 Including particulate material other than strand or fiber material

Abstract

Disclosed are absorbent composites, useful in an absorbent article, having high liquid intake rates. The absorbent composites may also have a rapid liquid lock-up. Absorbent composites of this invention have an intake rate of at least about 1.9 cc 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 article comprising

a liquid-permeable body-side liner;

an absorbent composite; and

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

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 saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution, the intake rate and the liquid lock-up fraction being determined by the methods set forth herein.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, 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 0.75 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 2.7 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.

4. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite has an intake rate of at least about 3.3 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 0.80 at 50% superabsorbent material saturation determined using 0.9% by weight sodium chloride aqueous solution.

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

6. The absorbent article of claim 1, 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.

7. The absorbent article of claim 6, wherein the water-insoluble fiber comprises at least one of a natural fiber and a synthetic fiber.

8. The absorbent article of claim 7, wherein the water-insoluble fiber comprises a fiber selected from the group consisting of wood pulp fiber, cotton linter, thermoplastic fibers, elastic fibers, and combinations thereof.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a binder material in a weight amount of about 0 to 20 weight percent, based on total weight of the absorbent composite.

10. The absorbent article of claim 9, wherein the binder material is selected from the group consisting of poly(aminoamide) epichlorohydrin polymer, latex, and combinations thereof.

11. The absorbent article of claim 9, wherein the binder material comprises a water-insoluble, water-swellable polymer selected from the group consisting of sodium-polyacrylate, carboxymethyl cellulose, chitosan salt, and combinations thereof.

12. The absorbent article of claim 9, wherein the binder material comprises a thermoplastic fiber selected from the group consisting of polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyester fibers, nylon fibers, and combinations thereof.

13. The absorbent article of claim 9, wherein the binder material is elastic.

14. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent composite comprises a freeze-dried fibrous composite.

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

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

17. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of particles, fibers, nonwoven, aggregate, printed, coated, or combinations thereof.

18. The absorbent article of claim 17, wherein the superabsorbent material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of sodium-polyacrylate, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl polysaccharides, polyaspartic acid salt, maleic anhydride-isobutylene copolymer, chitosan salts, polyquarternary ammonium salts, polyvinyl amines, and combinations thereof.

19. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a diaper.

20. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a training pant.

21. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a swim wear garment.

22. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is an adult incontinence garment.

23. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a feminine hygiene product.

24. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is a medical absorbent product.