Extremely Water Absorbent Nonwovens Produced with Hydrophilic Water Based Emulsion Polymer, 2011 Innovative Nonwovens Conference

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Typically swellable or highly water absorbent nonwovens are produced with Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) or Bentonite. The SAP and Bentonite are powders and require special equipment to produce the finished absorbent product. BASF has developed a new ecofriendly hydrophilic emulsion polymer (HEP), which is water based and free of solvents. Furthermore, HEP’s are low viscosity and can be easily applied to nonwovens by standard application methods, such as saturation or padding. These treated nonwovens have the ability to absorb water more than 10 times their weight. Potential end uses range from absorbent hygiene applications to water storage systems for green roofing and geotextiles used to seal landfills.