Elastomeric nonwoven with attached superabsorbent polymer
View Patent ↗Absorbent, elastomeric materials and methods of making absorbent, elastomeric materials. The absorbent, elastomeric materials include an elastomeric substrate and a superabsorbent polymer non-adhesively attached to the substrate. The elastomeric substrate includes at least one nonwoven, and may include, for example, elastic strands, elastic film, and/or elastic foam between layers of nonwoven. The superabsorbent polymer includes particles that either encase fibers of the nonwoven or bond themselves to fibers of the nonwoven.
1. An absorbent, elastomeric material comprising:
an elastomeric substrate comprising at least one open web facing; and
a superabsorbent polymer including particles that encase fibers of the at least one open web facing, wherein at least some of the non-adhesively attached superabsorbent polymer is spread through at least about 50% of a thickness of the at least one open web facing.
2. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent, elastomeric material has a centrifuge retention capacity of between about 4 grams per gram and about 30 grams per gram.
3. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent, elastomeric material has a centrifuge retention capacity of between about 5 grams per grain and about 25 grams per gram.
4. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent, elastomeric material has a centrifuge retention capacity of between about 6 grams per grain and about 20 grams per gram.
5. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric substrate further comprises a plurality of elastic strands laminated to the at least one open web facing.
6. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric substrate further comprises an elastic film laminated to the at least one open web facing.
7. The absorbent elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric substrate further comprises an elastic foam laminated to the at least one open web facing.
8. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , comprising an elastic foam that functions as both the elastomeric substrate and the at least one open web facing.
9. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one open web facing comprises a nonwoven material.
10. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 9 , wherein the nonwoven material is selected from a group consisting of meltspun, meltblown. bonded carded web, elastomeric high-loft bonded carded web, and combinations thereof.
11. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one open web facing has a volume fraction of less than about 0.05.
12. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one open web facing has a volume fraction of less than about 0.04.
13. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one open web facing has a volume fraction of less than about 0.02.
14. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one open web facing has a mean pore size greater than about 200 microns.
15. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one open web facing has a mean pore size greater than about 400 microns.
16. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the non-adhesively attached superabsorbent polymer is spread through at least about 75% of a thickness of the at least one open web facing.
17. The absorbent, elastomeric material of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent, elastomeric material is incorporated into a structure of the absorbent article.