Stretchable absorbent composites having high permeability

• US 7,662,745 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Lisa Marie, Jackson, David Martin, Zhang, Xiaomin, Qin, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson; Edward M
• Application Number:
  US10/739,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,252 Days
• Field of Search: 502/401, 502/402
• US Class Current: 502/401
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/15203 Properties of the article, e.g. stiffness or absorbency chemical aspects A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/531 having a homogeneous composition through the thickness of the pad A61F13/538, A61F13/539 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530481 having superabsorbent materials, i.e. highly absorbent polymer gel materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530708 characterized by the absorbency properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530788 characterized by the gel layer permeability
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/53791 being resilient or elastic

Abstract

A stretchable absorbent composite having a Composite Permeability of about 10 Darcy or more, or about 15 Darcy or more, and Composite Stretchability of about 30% or more, or about 50% or more, or about 100% or more, and a method of making such a stretchable absorbent composite. The stretchable absorbent composite includes a superabsorbent material, an elastomeric material, and, optionally, pulp fibers. More particularly, the stretchable absorbent composite may include between about 30% and about 85% by weight superabsorbent material, between about 5% and about 25% by weight elastomeric material, and between about 10% and about 70% by weight pulp fibers. The stretchability and liquid handling abilities of the stretchable absorbent composite renders the stretchable absorbent composite suitable for incorporation into a variety of absorbent articles, including personal care products, health/medical absorbent articles, and household/industrial absorbent articles, for example.

Claims

1. A stretchable absorbent composite, comprising:

a superabsorbent material; and

an elastomeric material;

wherein the absorbent composite exhibits a Composite Stretchability of about 50% or more, and a Composite Permeability of about 15 Darcy or more;

wherein the absorbent composite is located within a personal care absorbent article.

2. The absorbent composite of claim 1, comprising between about 5% and about 95% by weight superabsorbent material.

3. The absorbent composite of claim 1, comprising between about 50% and about 95% by weight superabsorbent material.

4. The absorbent composite of claim 1, comprising between about 5% and about 25% by weight elastomeric material.

5. The absorbent composite of claim 1, further comprising between 0% and about 75% by weight pulp fibers.

6. The absorbent composite of claim 1, further comprising a surfactant.

7. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material has a gel bed permeability under 0.3 psi of about 30 Darcy or more.

8. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material has a Centrifuge Retention Capacity of about 20 grams/gram or more.

9. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent material comprises an anionic superabsorbent material surface-treated with a polyvinyl amine solution.

10. The absorbent composite of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of the group consisting of olefinic copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polypropylene elastomers, polyester elastomers, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, polyurethane, polyisoprene, cross-linked polybutadiene, and combinations thereof.

29. A diaper comprising the absorbent composite of claim 1.

11. A stretchable absorbent composite, comprising:

about 60% by weight or more superabsorbent material; and

an elastomeric material;

wherein the absorbent composite exhibits a Composite Stretchability of about 30% or more, and a Composite Permeability of about 15 Darcy or more;

wherein the absorbent composite is located within a personal care absorbent article.

12. The absorbent composite of claim 11, comprising between about 5% and about 25% by weight elastomeric material.

13. The absorbent composite of claim 11, further comprising between 0% and about 25% by weight pulp fibers.

14. The absorbent composite of claim 11, further comprising a surfactant.

15. The absorbent composite of claim 11, wherein the superabsorbent material has a gel bed permeability under 0.3 psi of about 30 Darcy or more.

16. The absorbent composite of claim 11, wherein the superabsorbent material has a Centrifuge Retention Capacity of about 20 grams/gram or more.

17. The absorbent composite of claim 11, wherein the superabsorbent material comprises an anionic polymer superabsorbent material surface-treated with a polyvinyl, amine solution.

18. The absorbent composite of claim 11, wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of the group consisting of olefinic copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polypropylene elastomers, polyester elastomers, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, polyurethane, polyisoprene, cross-linked polybutadiene, and combinations thereof.

30. A diaper comprising the absorbent composite of claim 11.

19. A stretchable absorbent composite, comprising:

a superabsorbent material; and

an elastomeric material;

wherein the absorbent composite exhibits a Composite Stretchability of about 100% or more, and a Composite Permeability of about 10 Darcy or more;

wherein the absorbent composite is located within a personal care absorbent article.

20. The absorbent composite of claim 19, comprising between about 5% and about 95% by weight superabsorbent material.

21. The absorbent composite of claim 19, comprising between about 50% and about 95% by weight superabsorbent material.

22. The absorbent composite of claim 19, comprising between about 5% and about 25% by weight elastomeric material.

23. The absorbent composite of claim 19, further comprising between 0% and about 75% by weight pulp fibers.

24. The absorbent composite of claim 19, further comprising a surfactant.

25. The absorbent composite of claim 19, wherein the superabsorbent material has a gel bed permeability under 0.3 psi of about 30 Darcy or more.

26. The absorbent composite of claim 19, wherein the superabsorbent material has a Centrifuge Retention Capacity of about 20 grams/gram or more.

27. The absorbent composite of claim 19, wherein the superabsorbent material comprises an anionic polymer superabsorbent material surface-treated with a polyvinyl amine solution.

28. The absorbent composite of claim 19, wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of the group consisting of olefinic copolymers, polyethylene elastomers, polypropylene elastomers, polyester elastomers, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, polyurethane, polyisoprene, cross-linked polybutadiene, and combinations thereof.

31. A diaper comprising the absorbent composite of claim 19.