Research Information System
in: Handbook of Fibrous Materials, Jinlian Hu,Bipin Kumar,Jing Lu, Editor, Wiley-VCH Verlag Weinheim GmbH , Berlin, pp.315-334, 2020
Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) is a commodity product used in a variety of
industries over the last 30 years, from hygiene to filtration and from agriculture
to sportswear and food packaging [1]. These materials have added great value
to their product applications and improved the lives of millions of people every
day. They serve for holding and retaining extremely large volumes of water
and aqueous solutions inside, relative to its own mass [1–3]. Highly absorbing
polyelectrolyte polymer-based materials are able to absorb up to 50 g of fluid
per gram of dry mass; on the other hand, superabsorbent fibers can absorb 100
times its own weight in water [4].
As the population grows, the global demand for absorbent products increases
that triggers the growth in global SAPs market. According to Future Market
Insights’ report [5], by 2020, the value of global SAP market is projected to be
slightly over US$9 billion and reach 2,892,400 tons by volume. Another report
addresses the expected growth of global SAPs market to reach US$11.03 billion
by 2022. BASF SE, Nippon Shokubai, and Evonik Industries are the key
manufacturers of SAPs employing 51% of the production [6].
There are many ways to use SAPs such as SAP powder, SAP granule, and
SAP fiber. Among these, superabsorbent fiber can be handled easily during
processing and may have higher absorption speed than SAP powder/granule,
due to their fibrous shape. Thus, superabsorbent fiber can be transformed into
yarn to be knitted or woven in single or blended form with other fiber types in
order to meet end use expectations. Superabsorbent fiber can also be produced
in micro- or nanoscale that provides higher surface area, leading to improvement
in absorption and vapor transmission properties.