Sca Hygiene Products Zeist B.v.

Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Jeffrey Wilson Thornton

Arie Cornelis Besemer

Dorine Lisa Van Brussel-Verraest

Harm Jan Thiewes

Sussan Sandberg

Jan Matthijs Jetten

Petter Bragd

Pia Kalentuin

Anne-Mieke Yvonne Wilhelmina Verwiiligen

Luca Bemporad

Dorine Lisa Van Brussel-Verreast

Anne Mieke Verwilligen

Bas Schraven

Anne-Mieke Yvonne Wilhelmina Verwilligen

Theodoor Maximili Slaghek

Johannes Wilhelm Timmermans

Anne-Mieke Yvonne Verwilligen

A superabsorbent material with enhanced odour control and control of bacterial growth comprises a non-acidic, alkali-neutralizing compound selected from acid anhydrides, lactides, lactones and hydrolysable esters, especially cyclic acid anhydrides, lactides and lactones of &#x3b3;- or &#x3b4;-carboxylic acids. The superabsorbent material can be used in hygiene products such as diapers.

Hygienic absorbent with odour control

The invention provides a process wherein starch and/or a starch derivative can be gelatinized more efficiently by means a thermo mechanical treatment, when a carbohydrate polymer is used comprising aldehyde containing monomer units which comprise one or more aldehyde groups that are derived from one or more a primary alcohol groups. With this process a granulate or other semi-finished product can be obtained that can be shaped to produce an article that has excellent dimensional stability in water. The invention further provides a granulate, a shaped starch product, a food product or a blown starch film comprising such a carbohydrate polymer.

Process for gelatinising starch using a biodegradable polymer material bearing aldehyde groups

A superabsorbent article of the invention having improved odour control and microbial control, comprises a liquid-impervious back layer, a liquid-absorbing intermediate layer containing a partially neutralized, acidic hydrophilic polymer, especially a surface-crosslinked polyacrylate, and a liquid-pervious, non-absorbing top layer, and is characterised by comprising an alkali-neutralising agent which is evenly distributed in said absorbing intermediate layer.

Alkali-neutralising superabsorbent products

The invention concerns the use of a water-soluble or water-dispersible polymer having a molecular weight of at least 800, containing at least 5 aldehyde groups per molecule and at least 1 carboxyl group per molecule, the ratio of aldehyde groups to carboxyl groups being higher than 0.75:1, as a wet strength additive. The invention also discloses novel cationic derivatives thereof.

Aldehyde-containing polymers as wet strength additives

A process is disclosed for producing an acidic superabsorbent polysaccharide derivative, comprising the steps of: (a) crosslinking at least one polysaccharide containing acidic groups, such as carboxymethyl cellulose and/or 6-carboxy starch, with a crosslinking agent to produce a gel; (b) if necessary, adjusting the pH of the polysaccharide to a value between 3.5 and 5.5; (c) comminuting the acidified polysaccharide gel; and (d) drying the comminuted polysaccharide at elevated temperature. The superabsorbent polysaccharide obtainable by this process has a pH below 5 and provides odour control when contacted with malodorous fluids.

Acidic superabsorbent polysaccharides

A simplified process for oxidizing starch and other polysaccharides in an aqueous solution or suspension using hypochlorite in the presence of a catalytic amount of a nitroxyl compound is described. The oxidation is process is bromide-free and is carried out at a pH between 7 and 8.3 and at a temperature between 15 and 25&deg; C.

Oxidation of polysaccharides with nitroxyls

A superabsorbent polysaccharide derivative is obtained by oxidation of the polysaccharide to the extent that the derivative contains 0.2-0.3 carboxyl group per monosaccharide unit and cross-linking the oxidized polysaccharide with 0.0001-0.2 equivalent of cross-linking agent per monosaccharide unit. The polysaccharide may also be cross-linked prior to oxidation.

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Hulzen, Netherlands

Jeffrey Wilson Thornton