Water Absorbent Agent Manufacturing with Alpha-Hydroxycarboxylic Acid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water absorbent agents face issues with stickiness and discomfort during use due to high molecular weight soluble components, and they lack strong urine resistance and color stability over time.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a water absorbent agent by adding α-hydroxycarboxylic acid (salt) before the drying step during polymerization, which reduces the molecular weight of soluble components and enhances urine resistance and color stability, using a polymerization process with acrylic acid (salt) and a chelating agent to achieve improved fluid retention and tactile sensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of crosslinking points is reduced to improve absorption ratio, then the absorption ratio is improved, but the tactile sensation worsens due to increased molecular weight of unbound polymer components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of soluble components by adding α-hydroxycarboxylic acid during polymerization, which reduces the molecular weight of soluble components while maintaining adequate absorption ratio, thereby improving tactile sensation without completely sacrificing absorption performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system combining crosslinked polymer network with controlled soluble components of reduced molecular weight, achieving both adequate absorption capacity and improved tactile comfort by having unbound polymer components with lower molecular weight
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional polymerization methods are used to manufacture water absorbent agent, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the product exhibits stickiness and discomfort during use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding α-hydroxycarboxylic acid at the polymerization stage rather than after manufacturing, which prevents the formation of high molecular weight soluble components from the beginning, achieving tactile comfort without complex post-processing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the polymerization process by introducing α-hydroxycarboxylic acid as an additive that changes the molecular weight parameter of soluble components during polymerization, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving product performance
3Device complexity
If standard polymerization without chelating agents is used, then the process is simpler, but the product lacks strong urine resistance and color stability over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces chelating agents as intermediary substances during polymerization that mediate between the polymerization process and the final product properties, providing urine resistance and color stability through metal ion complexation without significantly complicating the overall process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system incorporating chelating agents alongside the polymer matrix and α-hydroxycarboxylic acid, achieving enhanced reliability for urine resistance and color stability through the synergistic combination of multiple functional components
Data Source
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AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a water absorbent agent having a high water absorption multiplying factor with which stickiness after absorbing liquid can be reduced when used as a hygienic material, and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention is a method for manufacturing a water absorbent agent that has a centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) of 30 g/g or greater, comprising of subjecting an aqueous solution of a monomer that includes an acrylic acid (salt) to a polymerization step, a drying step, and a surface crosslinking step, wherein the method includes a step for adding α-hydroxycarboxylic acid (salt) before the drying step. The atomic weight of the soluble portion eluted when the water absorbent agent absorbs liquid and swells can be reduced by adding the α-hydroxycarboxylic acid (salt) before the drying step, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the stickiness of the water absorbent agent after absorption of liquid, which leads to discomfort during use of disposable diapers and the like.