Fine-grained water-absorbent particles with a high fluid transport and absorption capacity

1. Water-absorbing polymeric particles comprising

a) at least one interpolymerized ethylenically unsaturated acid-functional monomer, the acid groups of the at least one acid-functional monomer bearing acid groups being more than 60 and not more than 70 mol % neutralized,

b) at least one interpolymerized crosslinker,

c) optionally one or more interpolymerized ethylenically and/or allylically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with a),

d) optionally one or more water-soluble polymer grafted wholly or partly with the monomers a), b) and if present c), and

e) at least one converted postcrosslinker,

wherein a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) is not less than 26 g/g, an Absorbency under Load (AUL0.7psi) is not less than 23 g/g, and a Transportation Value (TV) is not less than 15,000 cm 3 s,

wherein the Transportation Value (TV) is the product of Saline Flow Conductivity (SFC) and wicking absorption after 60 minutes (DA 60 ) multiplied by 107, and

wherein the wicking absorption after 60 minutes (DA 60 ) is a weight of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride solution absorbed by 70 g of the water-absorbing polymeric particles in 60 minutes, wherein the water-absorbing polymeric particles are situated, during measurement, in a circularly round vessel which has an internal diameter of 6 cm and is sealed at its lower end by a sieve base of 36 μm mesh size, and the sieve base is in atmospheric contact with 0.9% by weight sodium chloride solution.

2. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein less than 2% by weight are less than 150 μm in particle size.

3. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein the acid groups of the at least one acid-functional monomer are more than 63 and not more than 69 mol % neutralized.

4. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein less than 2% by weight have a particle size of above 600 μm.

5. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein not less than 90% by weight have a particle size in the range from 150 to 600 μm.

6. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein not less than 70% by weight have a particle size in the range from 300 to 600 μm.

7. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 that have a Saline Flow Conductivity (SFC) of not less than 80×10 −7 cm 3 s/g.

8. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein less than 2% by weight have a particle size of above 850 μm.

9. The polymeric particles according to claim 8 wherein not less than 90% by weight have a particle size in the range from 150 to 850 μm.

10. The polymeric particles according to claim 8 wherein above 15% by weight have a particle size of less than 300 μm.

11. The polymeric particles according claim 8 that have a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of not less than 29 g/g.

12. The polymeric particles according to claim 8 that have a Saline Flow Conductivity (SFC) of not less than 45×10 −7 cm 3 s/g.

13. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 that comprise at least one water-insoluble metal phosphate.

14. The polymeric particles according to claim 13 that have a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of not less than 30 g/g.

15. The polymeric particles according to claim 1 wherein less than 15% by weight have a particle size of less than 300 μm.

16. The polymeric particles according to any one of claim 15 that have a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of not less than 30 g/g.

17. The polymeric particles according to claim 15 that have a Saline Flow Conductivity (SFC) of not less than 45×10 −7 cm 3 s/g.

18. A process for producing water-absorbing polymeric particles by polymerization of a monomer solution comprising

i) at least one ethylenically unsaturated acid-functional monomer, wherein acid groups of the at least one acid-functional monomer bearing acid groups being more than 60 and not more than 70 mol % neutralized,

ii) at least one crosslinker,

iii) optionally one or more ethylenically and/or allylically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable with i),

iv) optionally one or more water-soluble polymer grafted wholly or partly with the monomers i), ii) and if present iii) to provide a base polymer,

the base polymer obtained being dried, classified, aftertreated with

v) at least one postcrosslinker,

before being dried and thermally postcrosslinked, which comprises the thermal postcrosslinking being discontinued when the water-absorbing polymeric particles have a Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) of not less than 26 g/g, an Absorbency under Load (AUL0.7 psi) of not less than 23 g/g, and a Transportation Value (TV) of not less than 15,000 cm 3 s,

wherein the Transportation Value (TV) is the product of Saline Flow Conductivity (SFC) and wicking absorption after 60 minutes (DA60) multiplied by 10 7 , and

wherein the wicking absorption after 60 minutes (DA60) is the weight of 0.9% by weight sodium chloride solution absorbed by 70 g of the water-absorbing polymeric particles in 60 minutes, wherein the water-absorbing polymeric particles are situated, during measurement, in a circularly round vessel which has an internal diameter of 6 cm and is sealed at its lower end by a sieve base of 36 μm mesh size, and the sieve base is in atmospheric contact with 0.9% by weight sodium chloride solution.

19. The process according to claim 18 wherein the acid groups of the at least one acid-functional monomer in the base polymer are more than 63 and not more than 69 mol % neutralized.

20. The process according to claim 18 wherein the at least one postcrosslinker is an amide acetal, a carbamic ester, a cyclic carbonic ester, a bisoxazoline and/or a polyhydric alcohol, the polyhydric alcohol having a molecular weight of less than 100 g/mol per hydroxyl group and no vicinal, geminal, secondary or tertiary hydroxyl groups.

21. The process according to claim 18 wherein the postcrosslinking is conducted at a temperature in the range from 160 to 210° C.

22. The process according to claim 18 wherein the at least one postcrosslinker has a boiling point of not more than 160° C. or not less than 220° C.

23. The process according to claim 18 wherein the postcrosslinker is used as an aqueous solution together with at least one cosolvent, the boiling point of the cosolvent being not more than 160° C. or not less than 220° C.

24. The process according to claim 18 wherein the at least one postcrosslinker is used as an aqueous solution in the absence of a cosolvent.

25. A hygiene article comprising water-absorbing polymeric particles according to claim 1 .

26. A packaging material comprising water-absorbing polymeric particles according to claim 1 .