Starch-Based Water-Absorbing Resin via Pre-Degradation and Controlled Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water-absorbing resins made from polysaccharides suffer from insufficient water absorption performance and high viscosity during production, leading to handleability issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the reduction of starch molecular weight, introduction of an acidic group, and controlled drying to produce a water-soluble polymer, followed by cross-linking to form a physical gel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-molecular weight polysaccharides are used as raw materials, then water absorption performance is improved, but viscosity increases making handling difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The starch is pre-degraded to reduce molecular weight before the carboxyalkylation reaction. This preliminary action reduces the viscosity of the raw material, making it easier to handle during subsequent production steps while still allowing the final product to achieve high water absorption performance through controlled crosslinking.
Solution Approach 2:
The molecular weight parameter of starch is changed by controlling the degradation degree to achieve an optimal balance. By adjusting the molecular weight reduction level, the invention achieves both improved handleability during production and sufficient water absorption performance in the final product.
2Productivity
If molecular weight of starch is reduced to improve handleability, then productivity is improved, but water absorption performance may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the molecular weight parameter by controlling degradation to a specific range, achieving both improved productivity through better handleability and maintained water absorption performance through subsequent crosslinking.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure through crosslinking of carboxyalkylated starch chains, forming a gel network that compensates for the reduced molecular weight and restores high water absorption capability while maintaining the benefits of lower viscosity during processing.
3Reliability
If crosslinking is performed to improve water absorption performance, then water absorption performance is improved, but production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The crosslinking is achieved through a self-service mechanism where carboxyalkylated starch molecules automatically form crosslinks during the drying process without requiring additional crosslinking agents or complex equipment. This simplifies the production process while achieving the desired gel structure and water absorption performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the crosslinking function from a separate complex process step and integrates it into the drying process itself, eliminating the need for additional crosslinking equipment or agents and reducing overall production complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces a water-absorbing resin with excellent water absorption performance and high productivity, forming a physical gel that can be easily degraded for reduced environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a water-absorbing resin that forms a physical gel upon absorption of water
Implementation Method 2
crosslink one starch with another
Implementation Method 3
drying the water-soluble polymer at 70° C. to 180° C. in the presence of water so that it has a solid content of 90% or more
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a water-absorbing resin having excellent water absorption performance with high productivity. The present invention relates to a method for producing a water-absorbing resin that forms a physical gel upon absorption of water, the method including: (a1) reducing the molecular weight of a starch to obtain a partially degraded starch; (a2) introducing an acidic group into the partially degraded starch obtained in (a1) to obtain a water-soluble polymer; and (a3) drying the water-soluble polymer at 70° C. to 180° C. in the presence of water so that it has a solid content of 90% or more.