Use of water-absorbent, predominantly open-celled crosslinked acid-functional addition polymer foams in hygiene articles

Abstract

Use in hygiene articles of articles formed of water-absorbent, predominantly open-celled crosslinked acid-functional addition polymer foams. The use of articles formed of water-absorbent open-celled crosslinked acid-functional addition polymer foams and containing finely divided silicon dioxide and/or at least one surfactant on their surface as an acquisition and/or distribution layer in hygiene articles.

1 . An article formed from a water-absorbent open-celled crosslinked acid-functional addition polymer foam and containing finely divided silicon dioxide, at least one surfactant, or both on a surface of the article for acquisition.  
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1  wherein said surface of said formed article has been subjected to a post-crosslinking operation by application of at least one crosslinker and heating to a temperature at which said crosslinker reacts with said polymer.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1  wherein said formed article is a sheet, web, film, strand, or granule.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1  wherein said finely divided silicone dioxide has an average particle size of from 5 to 50 μm and a BET surface area of at least 100 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the amount of silicon dioxide and/or surfactant on said surface of said formed article is in the range from 0.01 to 5% by weight, based on the weight of the hydrogel foam.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1  wherein said formed article is a web or film from 0.5 to 10 mm in thickness.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6  wherein, in the article, only a bodyfacing side of said web or film has been surface postcrosslinked and treated with the silicon dioxide and/or the surfactant.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the predominantly open-celled hydrogel foam comprises a crosslinked polymer of acrylic acid.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 10  wherein said hygiene article is selected from the group consisting of infant diapers, incontinence products, femcare articles, wound contact materials, and secondary wound dressings.  
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the article is an acquisition layer or a distribution layer in a hygiene article.