MXPA99005436A

Movatterモバイル変換

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Publication number: MXPA99005436A
Application number: MXPA/A/1999/005436A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Suzuki Migaku; Matsumoto Ryoichi; Mori Shingo
Original assignee: Japan Absorbent Technology Institute
Priority date: 1996-12-13
Filing date: 1999-06-11
Publication date: 2000-04-24

Abstract

Composite compositions containing, as the major components, fine hydratable microfibril fibers obtained from cellulose or derivatives thereof and a solid capable of swelling with water, wherein at least part of the surface of the solid is coated with the fine microfibril fibers, and a process for producing the same. The solid capable of swelling with water is exemplified by particulate polymer absorbents to which short fibers have been added as the third component. These composite absorbents may be located on supporting sheets made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric to give composite absorbent sheets applicable to various absorbent products including diapers for infants and adults.

Description

Prior Art A primary absorbent component used in an absorbent product, which absorbs water and liquid exudates, is composed of a combination of fluffed wood pulp and the so-called superabsorbent polymer (referred to herein as the "SAP"). However, in recent years, to improve the efficiency of the distribution of the absorbent products, to reduce the inventory and the exhibition space of the same, and to save natural resources, the social needs to reduce the dimensions of the absorbent products, in other relatively bulky circumstances, they are becoming strong. A means to manufacture a more compact and thinner absorbent product, in a combination of SAP and pulp, would be to increase the SAP content that has an absorbance of 2 to 10 times greater than that of the pulp and consequently, decrease the content of the pulp. pulp. Eventually, if the SAP content becomes 100 percent, the thinnest and most compact absorbent product could be obtained. However, when the SAP content is increased, when it absorbs water, the so-called "gel blocking phenomenon" occurs due to the characteristics of the SAP. In this way, the absorbent product does not work as planned. So far, it is said that the ratio of SAP content and pulp is at most 1 to 1. A structure in which the ratio of SAP content to pulp is 2 or greater to 1, or the call without pulp, in which the content of SAP is almost 100 percent, is very difficult to achieve so far. According to conventional concepts generally applied in the field of absorbent products, the term "pulpless" means that the ratio of pulp content to SAP is about 1 or less. So far, several attempts have been made for the pulpless structure. The SAP of the type of fiber or of the type of network is made by centrifuging directly on fiber of the acrylic acid type or partially hydrolyzing the fiber of the acrylic acid type. Another method is to make a network-type absorbent polymer by impregnating a network with a monomer such as an acrylic monomer and then polymerizing the monomer by applying ultraviolet light or electron beam. Still another method is to manufacture a sheet of absorbent polymer by carboxymethylation of a non-woven fabric of cellulose or the like and then partially crosslink the carboxymethylcellulose. However, until now, successful commercialized examples have not been reported, due to the high costs of the raw materials and the high capital investments involved. Liquid exudates discharged from living bodies are very different from each other, depending on their environmental and life conditions, and the frequency of discharge is not constant between them. Therefore, the absorbent sheets used in many types of absorbent products need to respond to various environments, exhibit in the stable ability to absorb quickly and frequently. As described above, a conventional two-component absorbent (pulp and SAP) is able to satisfy the need to absorb frequently to some degree, taking advantage of the temporary retention of liquids by the pulp and the stable retention of liquids by the SAP. However, an absorbent product in which the SAP content became high or the SAP was only used to ensure high absorbency, has a serious disadvantage; After a liquid is discharged for the first time, the SAP begins to absorb everything at once and in this way, the initial absorption is very fast, but when the discharge is repeated, the absorption speed decreases drastically.

Brief Description of the Invention A first embodiment of the present invention provides a highly absorbent composition comprising fine hydratable fibers in the form of microfibrils, obtained from cellulose or a derivative thereof, and solid particles swellable in water, at least part of the surfaces of the solid particles inflatable in water, are covered with fine fibers in the form of microfibrils. The hydratable fine fibers in the form of microfibrils obtained from cellulose or a derivative thereof, useful in the present invention, will later be referred to herein as "HFFM". The absorbent composition can be formed into a three-dimensional structure, such as the powder type, the particle type, the granule type, the sheet type and any other type, and also in a sheet type with a carrier sheet. a nonwoven fabric or similar as a base. The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing the absorbent composition. The method comprises the steps of dispersing a solid body swellable in water and the HFFM, in a dispersion medium comprising the mixture of an organic solvent and water, the organic solvent is able to control the swelling of the solid body swellable in water and disperse the HFFM and in this way, is miscible with water, to separate the solid body swellable in water and the HFFM from the dispersion liquid resulting from the dispersion medium, and remove the liquid component and dry them. The absorbent composition of the present invention is basically a composition of a solid body swellable in water and the HFFM covering the solid body. Examples of a water-swellable solid body are various types of polysaccharides, flocculants, super-swellable absorbent polymer particles in water (SAP) and the like. Among them, a disadvantage of the SAP, which is that the SAP is not easy to handle and store, due to its high water absorbency, can be solved by covering it with the HFFM according to the present invention. In addition, in a structure in which the SAP particles are linked to the HFFMs, the SAP particles are each held in their position by the HFFMs and an appropriate space is ensured surrounding each particle. In this way, an extremely thin absorbent sheet is obtained. A second embodiment of the present invention provides an absorbent sheet, wherein a support sheet and an absorbent layer are provided on at least any surface of the support sheet provided and wherein the absorbent layer has the HFFM, the SAP particles, and a small cut fiber component, which has a fiber length greater than the average particle diameter of the SAP particles and has improved dimensional stability when swelled in water.

In the present invention, the cut-off, small-cut fiber component having a fiber length greater than the average diameter of the SAP particles, connects the SAP particles to each other and at the same time provides a network structure, which It covers in a network form the upper surface of a layer formed by the SAP particles and thus serves to prevent the SAP particles from becoming progressively swollen. The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing the absorbent sheet. The method comprises the steps of preparing a suspension of a three-component dispersion by adding and dispersing a small-cut fiber cut component and the SAP particles in a dispersion liquid, where the HFFMs are dispersed in a dispersion medium, deforming a layer of the suspension by spreading the three-component dispersion suspension on a support sheet, and removing the dispersion medium from the suspension layer and then drying. The absorbent sheet of this embodiment of the present invention, consists of four components, the SAP particles, the HFFM, a small cut fiber cut component., and a substrate fabric that supports them. SAP particles are a basic component that gives an ability to absorb water. SAP is available in various forms, such as film and non-woven fabric, in addition to the particles described above. The HFFMs prevent the SAP from settling as a dispersion stabilizer and also that the SAP particles coagulate with each other in the manufacture of the absorbent sheet of the present invention and, after the absorbent sheet is produced, it plays the role of a binder. to join the SAP particles together and the SAP with the substrate web. The small-cut fiber cut component takes the SAP particles into a network structure in cooperation with a support sheet, dividing the SAP particles covered with the HFFMs and then covering the SAP particles as a network. A third embodiment of the present invention provides a composite absorbent sheet, wherein, in an absorbent sheet provided with a liquid-permeable support sheet and an absorbent layer containing the SAP particles bound on any surface of the permeable support sheet to liquids, the absorbent layer forms a plurality of regions of high absorption, which have a higher absorption capacity than in other circumstances, distributed on the surface of the liquid permeable support sheet in a desired pattern.

Detailed Description of the Invention From here, the elements constituting each structure of the highly absorbent composition and the absorbent sheet provided with the absorbent composition of the present invention will be described. In a first aspect of the present invention, the absorbent composition is composed of SAP and HFFM. In a second aspect of the present invention, the absorbent composition is composed of SAP, the HFFMs, and a small cut fiber component, which is larger than the SAP. In a third aspect of the present invention, any of the absorbent compositions of the first and second aspect form an absorbent sheet combined with a backing sheet. If the components are extracted from those absorbent compositions and those absorbent sheets are made by combining the absorbent compositions, the following four components will be highlighted. First of all, each component will be described: (1) SAP Particles. Absorbent polymer particles, here called "SAP", are generally carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid and polyacrylates, crosslinked acrylate polymers, starch-acrylic acid graft copolymers, starch-acrylonitrile grafted copolymer hydrolysates, crosslinked polyoxyethylene, carboxymethyl crosslinked cellulose, partially crosslinked water swellable polymers, such as polyethylene oxide and polyacrylamide, copolymer of isobutylenemalmaleic acid, etc. The base polymer particles are obtained by drying any of these polymers. Next, a post-treatment is applied to increase the density of the cross-linking of the surface of the particles, and at the same time, a blocking inhibitor is added to control the blocking of the particles of the product due to the absorption of moisture.

SAP, which is produced by dispersion polymerization, has a relatively small particle diameter. If such an SAP is used, cut fibers of small cut, which are relatively short, can be used appropriately. On the other hand, if the SAP is used in granulated or flake form, small cut fibers, which are relatively long, should preferably be used. Those small cut fibers cut the role of covering the swollen SAP. If small-cut staple fibers swell or dissolve in the same way as SAP, they are not effective. The cut fibers of small cut, therefore, need to have a property that does not swell or dissolve them in water. The cut fibers of small cut that can be used effectively for the present invention, are grouped into the following two types: (i) Fibers in the pulp state. Typical pulp fibers are wood pulp obtained by the digestion screen that recovers pulp from leaf trees in the form of a needle or broad leaves, cotton pulp obtained with a ginned cotton pulper as raw material or the like. Other fibers in the pulp state are obtained by shear coagulation, uniform centrifugation, or by centrifugation by spraying polymer solutions to produce solidified fibers: acetate fibrils (ACe), polyacrylonitrile fibrils (PAN), synthetic fiber pulp based on Polyethylene (PE), synthetic fiber pulp based on polypropylene (PP) or similar are available. In addition, in the case that fine SAP is used, fibers in the pulp state obtained from shriveled beet or coffee beans can also be used as small cut fibers. Synthetic fiber pulps based on PP and PE are easy to melt thermally, and are therefore preferably used to produce a more stable structure by heat treatment. (ii) Small-cut synthetic fibers • From cellulosic fibers such as rayon, modified rayon with Polynosic, and Lyocell, small-cut staple fibers and their fibrillated materials 10 mm or shorter in length of fiber to make paper . • Small-cut cut fibers such as PET, PP, PVA and PAN fibers and small-cut fibers of two-component fibers, such as low-melting polyester / PET, PP / PE, and PE / PET. • Fibers of small cut of very fine fibers obtained by mixing different polymers or centrifugation of fibers similar to the earth.

Table 1A manufacturing process can be efficiently designed through the incorporation of this change in viscosity, successfully, into the process. However, a disadvantage of the polyvalent alcohol solvents is that, because they show a high viscosity even when they contain water, they can cause a non-uniform coating on the coating of a material in the form of a substrate sheet, because it does not it fits well in the material of the substrate, due to its difficult penetration of the material. In such a case, the addition of methanol or ethanol to be combined with this polyvalent alcohol solvent, for example, by applying a three component system, PG / ethanol / water, can be effective. The suspension obtained in the manner described above, which consists of SAP particles, the HFFMs, and as required, a cut-off fiber component of small cut, forms an absorbent layer applied on the surface of a carrier sheet permeable to the liquids. In general, the suspension is applied over the entire surface of the absorbent sheet in a uniform and level manner, but depending on the uses, it can be applied in an appropriate pattern. In the event that the absorbent layer is formed in a pattern, a liquid-permeable support sheet is a substrate that supports the absorbent layer and, concurrently, plays the solid-liquid separation role of the suspension in the process of manufacture. Therefore, it is preferable that the components of a support sheet have affinity with an absorbent layer and that at the same time, the support sheet is of a structure having fine openings therethrough, which can not permeate, but which permeate the liquid. For this purpose, a non-woven fabric made of natural fiber, chemical fiber and synthetic fiber, provides a preferable support sheet. Especially, in the case that the cellulose fiber HFFM is used as a binding agent, the cellulose fiber having a hydrogen bond is preferably combined to produce a support sheet. In the present invention, an absorbent layer is formed by applying the suspension described above to the surface of a liquid permeable carrier sheet, and it is required that as a result of such application of the suspension, a plurality of highly absorbent regions be formed which they have a greater absorbency distributed in a desired pattern. The representative means for forming a non-uniformly distributed absorbent layer form a pattern distribution by in some appropriate way pulsing the discharge amount or width of the dispersion liquid from the suspension or to form the absorbent layer yet to be solidified after the suspension be applied. The means to press the discharged dispersion liquid is to use a piston pump or a tube pump, which discharges the liquid with pulsation. When using a pump that pulsates the amount of discharge, a device needs to be installed to give the pulsation on the side of the discharge.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Modes The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is an example showing the concentration and viscosity of supermicrofibrillated cellulose in the form of microfibrils (sometimes called the "S-MFC") in a dispersion liquid. It should be understood from Figure 1 that even at low concentration, it will still maintain a high viscosity. The dispersion liquid of the HFFM exhibits a structural viscosity, and exhibits a fluidized orientation and the viscosity is reduced when a shear force is applied. However, when the shear force is reduced, the viscosity is restored. Thus, if SAP particles are added and dispersed in the dispersion medium of the HFFMs, in a low cutoff dispersion state, the SAP particles are taken stably in a structure of the HFFM network, and consequently, the SAP of a high concentration can be dispersed in a stable manner. The dispersion is easily transferred by means of a pump or the like, because the viscosity then decreased. Subsequently, when the SAP is dispersed in a dispersion medium of the HFFMs, the SAP of a high concentration can be stably dispersed. In the process where the dispersion medium is removed, the HFFMs are in a poultice state to form a network structure when they unite themselves firmly and mechanically contain and enclose the SAP particles, when the HFFMs are linked together with the effect of hydrogen bonds, safely maintaining the SAP particles. Fine fibers in the form of microfibrils (the "HFFM") can be obtained by microfibrillating cellulose or its derivatives. For example, by grinding and beating wood pulp sufficiently, HFFMs are obtained from a process as shown in Figure 2. HFFMs are sometimes called the "MFC" (microfibrillated cellulose) and fibrillate even more, such as "S- MFC "(supermicrofibrillated cellulose). Next, a method for manufacturing a highly absorbent composition composed of the HFFM described above and the SAP is described: According to the present invention, in the manufacture of the highly absorbent composition described above, the behavior of the dispersion of the SAP in a The dispersion medium of the HFFM and the behavior of the HFFM after the removal of the liquid component were used ingeniously. In other words, the highly absorbent composition of the present invention can be obtained by dispersing the SAP particles and the HFFMs in a dispersion medium which is a mixture of an organic solvent miscible with water and water, where the HFFM are hydrated and dispersed Stably, separating the SAP particles and the HFFM from the resulting dispersion liquid, and removing the liquid component, followed by drying. As a result of this procedure, a typical pulp-free, highly absorbent composition can be obtained wherein the SAP content is 90 percent or greater. To prepare a dispersion liquid of the HFFM, a dispersion liquid was first prepared, wherein the HFFMs were dispersed in water as a standard liquid. As the concentration of the standard liquid rises, an apparatus for preparing the HFFM dispersion becomes more compact. On the other hand, however, the viscosity of the standard liquid increases at higher concentrations, which makes the handling of the standard liquid more difficult. Therefore, an aqueous dispersion liquid with a concentration of 10 percent or less, preferably 5 to 1 percent, is used. The standard liquid is added to a dispersion medium consisting of an organic solvent and water to obtain the dispersion liquid of the HFFM having a prescribed concentration of the HFFM and a viscosity accompanied by the concentration. As means for adding and mixing the liquid dispersion SAP, means are generally applied to disperse the SAP particles in the dispersion liquid described above. Dispersing the HFFM and the SAP in this dispersion liquid of an organic solvent and water, a network structure of the HFFM is formed and the SAP particles are incorporated into the network structure, so that a stable dispersion state is ensured . When the dispersion medium is removed later, the physically interlocked structure of the HFFMs and the stable hydrogen bonds of the HFFMs are formed with each other, and as a result, it is assumed that a three-dimensional structure was formed. The mixing ratio of an organic solvent and water is established in a range that allows the formation of a network structure, of the HFFM, and suppress as much as possible the absorption of water by the SAP. Of the organic solvents described above, the representative solvents are described.

The graph of Figure 3 shows the relationship between the concentration of an organic solvent and the water absorption ratio of the SAP in the case that it is used as such organic solvent methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and acetone. Figure 3 shows that in case alcohol or acetone is used, when the concentration of the solvent is 50 percent or less, the water absorption ratio of the SAP is sharply increased, and that, in case methyl alcohol is used, when the concentration is 60 percent or lower, the water absorption ratio of the SAP is sharply increased. Therefore, it is preferable to have a higher concentration of an organic solvent. Of the solvents described above, the polyvalent alcohol solvents are the most viscous, and among them, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol are relatively easy to handle, and are readily available in the market. Figure 4 shows the relationship between viscosity and temperature between minus 10 ° C and 12 ° C for both of them. With safety for the environment and the people who use the sanitary material taken into consideration, the most preferable organic solvent is propylene glycol (here abbreviated later as the "PG").

The solvents described above are used mainly in admixture with water in the present invention. An appropriate mixing ratio between the water and the solvent needs to be selected to prevent coagulation and swelling of the SAP particles and to stably disperse the SAP particles with the MFC, and the small cut fiber cut component. The ratio of the mixture of the solvents is about 9/1 to 5/5. If the water is more than 5/5, the swelling of the SAP increases rapidly, and if a solvent is more than 9/1, the MFC begins to settle. The transition region and nature are somewhat different depending on the t of solvents used. If the PG is taken as an example, a particularly preferable mixing ratio is 6/4 to 8/2. Figure 5 shows the relationship between the viscosity and the temperature of the PG in an aqueous solution for the mixing ratios 4/6, 6/4 and 8/2. This shows that, when the water content increases, the viscosity decreases relatively, and that a difference in viscosity caused by the difference in temperature is great, even when the solvent is in aqueous solution. On the other hand, to hydrate and disperse the HFFM in a stable manner, it is more advantageous to have a higher water content in a dispersion medium. Therefore, an appropriate range of the ratio of an organic solvent / water is 90/10 to 40/60. Note that the relationship varies to some degree, depending on the organic solvents used and the properties of the SAP used. The concentration of the dispersion of each of the SAP and the HFFMs in coexistence in this dispersion medium and the concentration ratio between the SAP and the HFFMs are described in more detail below. The concentration of the SAP is selected from a range of 60 percent or less, preferably 50 percent to 5 percent from the point of view of ease of handling, although it can be somewhat different depending on the transportation methods used. the suspension. A preferable concentration of the HFFM is selected to obtain the binding strength and dispersion stability of the SAP. To maintain good dispersion stability, the concentration of the HFFM needs to be 0.2 percent or greater, preferably 0.3 percent to 1.0 percent. At this concentration of the HFFM, a dispersion medium containing the HFFM exhibits good dispersion stability. Even after the medium is allowed to stand for a prolonged period of time, sedimentation does not occur.

The experimental results show that, when the concentration of HFFM increases, improves the stability of the dispersion. When the concentration of the HFFM was 0.3 percent, no sedimentation occurred for one hour. At the 0.5 percent concentration, no sedimentation occurred for 65 hours. This proves that, with this good stability of the dispersion, not only the coating process becomes easier, but also that the HFFM enclose the SAP particles completely, so that a stable dispersion is obtained. When the ratio of HFFM to SAP (MFC / SAP x 100 (%)) is increased, the strength of the absorbent composition becomes higher, but at the same time, the absorbent composition hardens to the touch as a paper. Therefore, the ratio of the HFFMs to the SAP is preferably 20% or less. On the other hand, at a ratio of 0.3% or less, sufficient bond strength can not be obtained. The bond strength is evaluated by applying a method of cellophane adhesive tape to measure a surface force. The results of applying the method to the evaluation of the bond strength show that the most preferable range of the relationship is 5% to 0.5%. Next, a method is described for forming a composition from a dispersion liquid which is made by dispersing the HFFM and the SAP in a dispersion medium, with reference to the accompanying drawings below. As a method for forming an absorbent composition of the liquid dispersion suspension described above, for example, as shown in a conceptual drawing of Figure 6, (1) drying a substance similar to a block obtained by separating the solvent from the suspension and by grinding the substance into particles, composite particles are obtained with the surface of the SAP covered by the HFFM, in cubic form, as shown in Figure 7 (a) or in the form of lamellae or flakes, as shown in Figure 7 ( b), (2) if the suspension is poured into a mold made of, for example, the components of the network and solids and liquids are separated and dried, a three-dimensional composition is obtained in the form of granules, crystals, cylinders or corrugated plate depending on the mold used, and (3) if a thin film is formed continuously and dried, a composite sheet is obtained. An absorbent composition obtained in each of the forms described above has flexibility depending on the water content. Therefore, a composite sheet is formed in the form of a mesh together with fibers, for example, by the method of air cushioning and the non-wet mesh, pressed, and dried, so that it can be reformed into a composition in the form of a leaf.

Figure 15 shows a material in the form of a highly absorbent composite sheet incorporating the present invention. A sheet impervious to liquids, designated by reference numeral 21 in Figure 15, is impermeable to liquids and reasonably elastic. A material in the form of a highly absorbent composite sheet 22 is placed on the upper part of the sheet impervious to liquids 21. Both of them are joined together in many areas of junction 23 extending in lines or bands parallel to each other, placed at prescribed intervals. The bonding areas 23 are formed by thermal fusion, by a conventional method, such as heat sealing and high frequency bonding, the liquid impervious sheet 21 and the highly absorbent composite sheet material 22 with a predetermined width. Between the attached joint areas 23 and 23, the length of the material in the form of a highly absorbent composite sheet 22 is greater than the length of the sheet impervious to the liquids 21, and, therefore, between the joint areas 23 and 23 , a channel 24 is formed between the material in the form of a highly absorbent composite sheet 22 and the liquid impervious sheet 21, by sinking the first one. The material in the form of highly absorbent composite sheet 22 has a structure, as shown in Figure 15, wherein, on any surface of a support sheet 13, the spin-linked or dry-laid nonwoven fabric made of polyolefin such as PP and PE, an absorbent composite layer 10 is supported, layer 10 which is placed on the side facing the liquid impervious sheet 21. A sheet product of this structure is remarkable in retaining the stability of its own sheet form, even when the leaf product absorbs a large amount of liquid. Figures 16 to 18 show typical examples of an absorbent sheet having a pattern distribution as obtained by the means described above. Figure 16 shows a pattern made by the use of pulsation, Figure 17 shows a pattern made by using a branched nozzle, and Figure 18 shows a pattern made in combination of the two. Examples of a distribution of upper absorption regions are classified into the following three types: (1) on the top of a thin absorbent layer distributed over an entire existing partially coarse layer area; (2) parts of an exposed backing sheet without any absorbent layer, and parts thereof with such a separate absorbent layer; and (3) thick and thin layers coexist in the regions of greatest absorption. The pattern of distribution of the high absorption regions is, for example, an island pattern at sea as shown in Figure 16, a pattern of the continuous band type with a thin margin as shown in Figure 17, and a combination of island and band patterns as shown in Figure 18. An absorbent sheet, which is coated with a suspension in a pattern distribution, is attached to a support sheet in a stable manner by a press, and the structure is fixed by removing the liquid component and drying. By doing this, an absorbent sheet still to be dried, which has a pattern distribution, is very different in thickness, and contains a lot of solvent, which probably adheres on a press roll and partially peels off. To prevent this, means for pressing an absorbent sheet covered with fabric or nonwoven fabric are available, but an effective means is as follows: an absorbent sheet is hot pressed to fit well to a support sheet and the absorbent layer on the roll It is subjected to removal of the liquid component to fix the structure, so that the surface is stabilized. Next, if peel exists only after the surface is stabilized in this way, the absorbent sheet is rolled onto the roll without any coating. Figure 19 (A), (B), (C) and (D) typically show the simplest sample of an absorbent tube of the present invention. In Figures 19, the reference numeral 401 represents a support sheet in the form of a tube, and 402 represents the SAP supported by the support sheet 401 only on the inner wall. In the absorbent tube as shown in Figure 19 (A), the backing sheet 401 was formed having a closed ring cross-section, and was transformed into a tube with the junction of both ends joined with an adhesive agent 403, such as an adhesive agent of the hot melt type, and contains SAP 402 uniformly close over the entire surface of the inner wall. In Figure 19 (B), a reinforcement sheet 404 was placed at the point of attachment of both ends on the backing sheet 401, and both ends of the backing sheet 401 together with the backing sheet 402, were joined with the adhesive agent 403. In the absorbent tube of Figure 19 (C), a flat support sheet 401 containing the SAP 402 is formed on the surface in a tube, with only one end of the support sheet 401 with the surface supporting the SAP 402 inside, and the opposite sides of both, are joined by placing one on top of the other with an appropriate width of the provided margin and the portion where they are joined is joined with an adhesive agent 403. Thus, on a At the end of the flat absorbent there is a tube formed. In the absorbent tube of Figure 19 (D), on the lateral end placed out there is no SAP 402, and, therefore, the adhesive agent 403 is applied directly on the surface of the support sheet 401. As a The sheet of support that can be used in the present invention, substantially all types of material in the form of fibrous web composite sheet can be used, if they are impermeable to liquids and do not have openings large enough for the SAP particles to pass through. its through. Examples thereof are non-woven fabrics blown in the molten state, foamed nets, extruded fibrillated nets, non-woven fabrics bonded by centrifugation, non-woven fabrics of carded web, non-woven fabrics intertwined by centrifugation, and any combination of the above materials. The basic roles of this support sheet are to support the SAP in a stable manner and, at the same time, prevent the SAP from swelling by absorbing leaking or dripping liquid and moving out of an absorbent tube. If required, to the support sheet can be given other papers selecting the types and forms of the supporting sheet constitution materials. For example, by selecting a cellulosic fiber or a mixture with a cellulosic fiber such as the fiber that constitutes the support sheet, the diffusion of the liquid to the SAP can be increased. Also, another example to give a different paper is that, by using a non-woven fabric, which is highly elongated, can be lengthened with a small force, for the support sheet, the support sheet itself can be lengthened by the absorption and swelling of the SAP. By using these effects, the liquid capacity of the SAP is made to exhibit its maximum degree, and the diameter of the absorbent tube while no liquid is absorbed, can be made small, which in turn, makes small absorbent products using such a small absorbent tube. In this specification, the term "high elongation" of a substrate means the property that the substance can be elongated or easily extended by a small force applied at least in one direction. A composite sheet obtained by this method has a structure, for example, as typically shown in Figure 20 (A). In Figure 20 (A), the reference number 411 represents a support sheet, 412 represents the SAP and 413 represents the HFFMs, which join the SAP 402 particles together and on a support sheet 411. Because it is The composite sheet can be formed as an extremely thin sheet, as thin as 1 mm, can be formed in a tube as shown in Figure 20 (B), and is suitable as an absorbent tube of the present invention.

Figure 21 (A) shows a composite sheet of a structure where, unlike an absorbent tube shown in Figure 2 (B), in which the particles of SAP 412 are distributed at an almost uniform density, blocks in the which a plurality of SAP particles 412 meet and form, blocks which are placed in an appropriate distribution. An absorbent tube as shown in Figure 21 (B) can be formed by bending the composite sheet of Figure 21 (A) in the form of a tube with the surface thereof supporting the SAP 412 particles, oriented inwardly. In the structures of Figure 19, tubes are formed in the form of letter O, directly joining the lateral ends of the support sheet to each other, but in the structure of Figures 20 (B), 21 (B), and 22, they form tubes in the form of letter C, where the lateral ends of a support sheet are made in such area of the tube, a little far from each other. The absorbent of such a tube in letter C, can place a groove between the lateral ends of a support sheet oriented either up or down. Also, another sheet material 414 may be attached by means of the adhesive 403 to the slot, as shown in Figure 22. It should be noted that the above description and the schemes shown in the description show an absorbent tube in the form of circle or ellipse, which is somewhat swollen for better understanding, but in fact, the absorbent tube before absorbing liquids to swell takes a flat or collapsed shape. One or a group of absorbent tubes having a structure described above can be incorporated into a conventional absorbent product with an absorbent core, but in practice, they are advantageously used bonded to a sheet comprising an absorbent product. For example, an absorbent tube or a plurality of absorbent tubes placed in parallel with each other comprises an absorbent core bonded in an absorbent region of an absorbent product, to an internal liquid-impervious sheet, placed on the side of the absorbent product in contact with the absorbent product. the skin of a user or an external sheet resistant to leakage. Figure 23 shows a disposable diaper as an absorbent product of the present invention, having a structure described above. In Figure 23, the reference number 500 represents the body of an absorbent product. This body 500, as shown in Figure 24, consists of a liquid-impervious inner sheet 520 and an outer sheet impervious to liquids 530, and in its absorbent region the contents are three absorbent tubes 501, 502 and 503, placed in parallel with each other. The absorbent tubes 501, 502 and 503 are, in this embodiment of the present invention, bonded to an outer sheet impermeable to liquids 530 by means of an adhesive 504, such as a hot melt adhesive. Figure 25 shows a sectional view of the structure of another absorbent product of the present invention, similar to that of Figure 22. In this example, the inner sheet 520 is bonded to the outer sheet 530 on both sides of the absorbent tube by the adhesive 504. In the example of Figure 26, the absorbent tube 502 placed at the center is wider than the absorbent tubes 501 and 503 placed on the respective sides of the absorbent tube 502, so that both side ends of the absorbent tube 502 are placed on the lateral ends of the absorbent tubes 501 and 503. In the example of Figure 27, the ratio in the widths between the absorbent tubes 501, 502 and 503 is the same as in the example of Figure 26, but the tubes absorbers 501 and 503 on the sides, are placed in higher positions than the absorbent tube 502, placed in the center and the inner ends of the absorbent tubes 501 and 503 are placed between the lateral ends it's from the 502 absorber tubes.

The absorbent products of the present invention provided with an absorbent core of a configuration shown in each of Figures 24 to 27 exhibit a highly absorbent property with the absorbent capacity of the absorbent tubes described above. Particularly, in a configuration as shown in Figures 26 and 27, where each absorbent tube is partially placed on an adjoining absorbent tube, because the amount of SAP per unit area can be made larger, an even greater absorbing property can be expected. . For example, a condition wherein the absorbent tubes 501, 502 and 503 have absorbed to swell in a configuration of Figure 26 is shown in Figure 28. Also, in the examples of Figures 24 to 27, each absorbent tube can be linked to the inner blade 520, too, so that the absorbent tube can be secured in such a position. In the absorbent products of the present invention, an absorbent core to be placed in the absorbent region may be comprised only of a plurality of absorbent materials, as described above, but one of the absorbent tubes may be replaced by another absorbent 506, as It is shown in Figure 29.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 30, a configuration can be made where longer and shorter width absorbent tubes 507 are placed parallel to each other and tapes 508 made of a soft, workable sheet, such as a non-woven fabric. extending along the outer sides of each absorbent tube. This tape 508 allows a liquid to enter the absorbent region to reach the absorbent tube 507 and at the same time improves the contact between the absorbent tube and the wearer's skin. The number and size of absorbent tubes placed in the absorbent region of an absorbent product can be selected depending on the shape, use and desired absorbent property of the absorbent product, and the selection can easily be made by those skilled in the art. In the descriptions and drawings made and shown above, it is shown that the absorbent tubes mentioned above have a virtually ellipsoidal cross section, but the absorbent tube is normally thin, has a flat shape before it absorbs a liquid to swell, as shown in Figure 31. If the absorbent tube is a single layer, the length of the circumference of the cross section is constant, despite the shape of the cross section. The greater the length of the circumference, the greater the area to be provided to support the SAP 402 becomes, and when the SAP 402 swells and increases in volume, the thickness or height of the absorbent tube becomes larger. Figures 32 to 35 show examples wherein support sheet 401 was provided as a reinforcement for such a purpose. In the example of Figure 32, a reinforcement 510 is placed on the upper surface of the absorbent tube, and in the examples of Figures 33 to 35, a reinforcement 510 was placed on each side end of the absorbent tube. Note that in Figure 34, the lateral ends on which the reinforcements 510 were provided are linked in portions oriented towards each other by heat sealing 511, forming a cell 512 that differs from the rest. In the absorbent tube of the present invention, a backing sheet can be composed of any sheet material that is liquid pervious and has some degree of softness and tear resistance. A preferable material is a nonwoven fabric 601 as described above, and a nonwoven fabric of an absorbent composition as shown in Figure 36 can also be used advantageously. This composite non-woven fabric 601 can be made by composing one or two types of cut fiber 602, such as PET and rayon with non-woven fabric bonded by centrifugation 601 made of synthetic fiber, such as polypropylene by means of water-jet entanglement. . A composite nonwoven fabric similar to that has the feature wherein the nonwoven fabric joined by centrifugation 601 functions as the inner sheet and, as shown in Figure 37, on the surface of the cut fiber, the particles of SAP 402 are retained in a secure manner, so that there is no need to cover the absorbent core with the inner sheet. Figure 38 shows an absorbent product of a structure wherein the absorbent sheet 600 of Figure 37 was formed in a tube and ligated to the outer sheet 411 of an absorbent product by means of the adhesive 504, and on both shortenings of the legs Lateral 603 a liquid-impervious sheet compound is provided. Any side of each leg shortening 603 is linked to the outer sheet 411, and the other side is made to face the end of the other leg shortening 603 in some interval, interval in which the central portion of the absorbent tube 600 is located. Other examples of an absorbent sheet of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings:Figure 39 shows a material in the form of a sheet wherein on a material in the form of a sheet impermeable to liquids 711, made of flexible thermoplastic film many teeth 713 are formed having openings 712 in the bottom. An absorbent sheet wherein the teeth 713 are filled with an absorbent material is shown in Figures 40 and 41. The absorbent material was made by fixing the SAP 714 particles on the inner wall of the tooth 713 of the sheet material impermeable to the 711 liquids with HFFM 715. In general, such structure is preferably of small teeth filled with fine particles and large teeth filled with coarse particles. Also, Figure 42 shows the steps of making another absorbent sheet of the present invention. In the step of Figure 42 (A) a material in the form of a liquid impervious sheet 712 and a liquid permeable nonwoven fabric 722 having a lateral extensibility, are placed one on top of the other with a layer of molten adhesive on the other side. hot (not shown) between them, and in the step of Figure 42 (B) many grooved portions 723 are formed which extend in parallel to each other by means of a hot grid roll, and at the same time, the shaped material Liquid-proof sheet 721 is bonded with the liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric 722 in the slotted position with hot melt adhesive between them. This composite sheet is, in the step of Figure 42 (C), extended in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slotted portion 723, whereby the liquid-like sheet material 721 is cut into the positions of the grooves 723 to form the teeth 724. The toothed portion is constituted only of non-woven fabric permeable to liquids. Next, in the step of Figure 42 (D), the suspension is applied where the SAP and the HFFM are uniformly dispersed in a dispersion medium of an organic solvent miscible in water and water on the material in the form of a permeable sheet to liquids 724 and then after removing the liquid component and drying, teeth 724 are filled with an absorbent material 725 composed of SAP and HFFM. Finally, in the step of Figure 42 (E), the top sheet 726 such as a non-woven fabric is placed over the material in the form of a liquid impervious sheet 721 and the absorbent material 725 and the material in the form of a waterproof sheet The liquids 721 and the absorbent material 725 are joined to the upper sheet 726 in the position 721 where there is no absorbent. Figure 43 shows a liquid-impermeable sheet material in which the many teeth formed in step C of Figure 42 are circular. Figure 44 shows a sheet material in which the teeth 724 in step D of Figure 42 are filled with the absorbent material 725. In the absorbent sheet shown in Figure 42, the nonwoven fabric 722 constituting the sheet composed together with the liquid-impermeable sheet material 721 is preferably a non-woven fabric with a weight of 10 g / m2 to 50 g / m2, such as a non-woven fabric of a hydrophobic synthetic fiber such as PP, PP and PET and a non-woven fabric of a mixture of a synthetic fiber and a cellulosic fiber such as rayon, Lyocell and cotton. Figures 45 and 46 show the configuration wherein a liquid-impermeable sheet material 721 is formed in a corrugated sheet and is placed and fixed absorbent material 725 in narrow bands or bars in the lower parts of the teeth 724 in the Letter form V that extend parallel to each other. Also, Figure 47 shows an example where the absorbent material 725 is placed in points, not in bands or bars as shown in Figures 45 and 46. In the structures shown in Figures 45 and 47, the material in the form of liquid impervious sheet 721 may or may not have openings in the lower parts of the teeth 724.

In any case, the teeth 724 formed on the liquid-impermeable sheet material may have an inner wall extending perpendicularly to the surface of the sheet material, but preferably, they should have an inclination similar to a funnel with the size becoming smaller from the top to the bottom, which allows the absorbent material to be filled more easily. The size of the teeth depends on the size or shape of the absorbent material, but should be at least 0.3 mm, preferably 0.5 mm in diameter if the teeth are circular or, in the width of the shortest direction if the teeth are long and narrow in the shape of an ellipse, rectangle or slot. Because if the diameter or width is too small, it is difficult to retain a sufficient amount of absorbent material stably in the teeth. Next, briefly, the processes preferably applicable for manufacturing the absorbent sheet of the present invention are described using the H the SAP and a small cut cut fiber component. A process is selected to add the cut-to-cut fiber component small, which is optimal depending on the characteristics or properties of the cut-off fiber component of small cut, namely in dry or wet state, the need for fibrillation. Figures 48 to 51 show several examples of representative processes for manufacturing the absorbent sheet. From these flow diagrams the configuration of each process can be easily understood. First of all, typical model examples of the composite absorbent of the present invention, composed of four components of SAP, MFC, small-cut staple fibers and a backing sheet are shown in Figures 52 and 53. Figure 52 shows that the absorbent composite in a dry state, and Figure 53 shows the composite absorbent of Figure 52, which has absorbed a liquid and swelled. In Figures 52 and 53, reference numeral 111 represents a substrate, on the surface of which the SAP particles 112, a small cut fiber component 113, and the H114 are retained. As shown in Figure 52, the SAP particles are dispersed or plural particles bound securely by the MFC when they are in the dry state, while the SAP particle groups are contained freely covered by the fiber component cut off. Small cut just like an umbrella. When body exudates are discharged into the absorbent compound, the SAP absorbs them to swell. At the same time, the hydrogen bonds of the MFC are cut, and the SAP swells more freely but within the network where the SAP is contained so that the SAP is prevented from leaving the network. Figure 54 is a structure where, through the use of a bulky substrate, the effects of the network in concert with the effects of the cut-off small-cut fiber component were improved. In Figure 54, the numerical reference Illa represents a high density layer of the substrate, 111b represents a low density layer of the substrate, 112 represents the SAP particles, 113 represents the cut small cut fiber, and 114 represents the H It is shown that the SAP particles are captured in relative freedom between the fibers of the low density layer of the substrate 111b. In the present invention, the absorbent layer can be completely or completely provided on any surface of the support sheet, but it can also be provided in rows or any desired pattern. Also, by providing the absorbent layer only on any surface of the support sheet, a composite absorbent having a sufficient absorption capacity can be constituted, but in the case where the support sheet is used in such uses when a liquid comes into contact with both sides of the support sheet, the absorbent layer can be provided on both sides of the support sheet.

The methods for evaluating the properties applied in the present invention are described below: 1) Stable Sustainability of the swollen SAP in a composite absorbent when wetted Cut a 2 cm x 10 cm rectangle of the composite absorbent to make a sample. ® Stable Sustainability of the SAP Place two rectangular sample pieces with the SAP side up at approximately 2 cm intervals on a Petri dish of 12 cm in diameter, add 50 ml of 0.9% NaCl (physiological saline) gently and allow it to sit for 10 minutes for the SAP to swell. Observe visually the condition where the swollen SAP separates from the samples into the liquid. (Judgment criteria) ® The SAP swells but little SAP separation is observed. O When the SAP swells, little separation of SAP is observed. ? When the SAP swells, an appreciable separation of SAP is observed. X When the SAP is swollen, it is observed that a lot of SAP is released by stacking in the liquid.

® Stable SAP Separation The procedure is the same including the judgment criteria as in the stable sustainability test, except that two sample pieces were placed with the SAP side down. ® Sustainability of the vertically suspended SAP Take the liquid samples with a pair of tweezers immediately after evaluation in the stable sustainability test described above, hold one end in the longitudinal direction with a clamp to suspend vertically, and judge virtually the condition of the Swollen SAP detached from the support sheet. (Criteria of judgment). ® It was observed for little swollen SAP. O It was observed that little swollen SAP is released on the surface. ? From the swollen SAP, it was observed that a part of the SAP was detached on the surface, but no detachment of the SAP was observed in direct contact with the support sheet. X A majority of the swollen SAP was observed. 2) Dispersion of a liquid absorbed by a composite absorber Cut a 5 cm diameter circle of the composite absorbent to make a sample. ® Time of absorption of dripped liquid (seconds) Place the sample in a Petri dish of 12 cm in diameter with the side of the SAP up, drip 1 ml of 0.9% NaCl (a physiological saline solution) with a burette in the center of the sample, which takes approximately 1 second, and measure the time (seconds) until the dripped liquid is absorbed. ® Dispersion time (seconds) Place 100 ml of 0.9% NaCl (physiological saline) in a Petri dish 12 cm in diameter, float the sample with the side of the SAP up with the side of the leaf support in contact with the liquid, and measure the time until the liquid disperses over the entire surface of the sample and the applied SAP stops swelling over the entire surface. 3) Thickness of the support sheet (mm) Cut a 5 cm diameter circle from the support sheet to make a sample. Measure using a thickness gauge Daiei Chemical Precision InstrumentsMgt. Co., Ltd. of with the area of the probe of 15 cm2(diameter of 43.7 mm) and the measurement pressure of 3 g / cm2.4) apparent density of the support sheet(g / cm3) Calculate the weight (g / cm2) and the thickness of the support sheet following the formula:Apparent density (g / cm3) = weight (g / cm2) / 104] x [10 / thickness (mm)]Another composite absorbent sheet embodying the present invention is described, wherein an absorbent sheet with a liquid impervious backing sheet is provided, and an absorbent layer containing the SAP particles attached to any surface of the backing sheet permeable to liquid. the liquids, with the absorbent layer forming a plurality of highly absorbent regions that have greater absorption capacity than the other regions distributed in a desired pattern on the surface of the liquid permeable support sheet. Figure 55 typically shows a plurality of regions of high absorbency having greater absorbency than the absorbent layer and regions of lower absorbency having lower absorbency on the support sheet incorporating the present invention; in the drawing, the colored parts of white show regions of high absorbency 210, and the colored parts of black show regions of low absorbency 220.

Figure 56 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of the absorbent sheet shown in Figure 55. The reference numeral 203 represents a support sheet made of material, such as a non-woven fabric having an appropriate liquid permeability. , and on any surface of this support sheet 203 there are provided absorbent layers 200 which form regions of high absorbent capacity 210 and regions of low absorbent capacity 220. The absorbent layers 200 are composed of the particles of SAT 201 and HFFM 202, which they exist around each particle 201, and HFFM 202 binds to SAP particles 201 and binds to the surface of carrier sheet 203 to function as a means of transferring the liquid to be absorbed into each particle. In the examples shown in Figures 55 and 56, the difference in the absorbent capacity between the absorption region 210 and the low absorption region 220 of the absorbent layer is highlighted, by virtue of the difference in thickness of the absorbent layer. This thickness is apparently represented by the configuration of the absorbent polymer layer, and as shown in Figure 56, the thinner layer is one layer, and the thicker layer is two or more layers.

In the configuration illustrated in Figure 90, the suspension is applied in many bands extending in parallel at intervals on a support sheet as shown in Figure 91. In the application of the suspension over the entire surface of the sheet In this case, two pairs of a plurality of suspension pumps provided with a plurality of discharge outlets can be discharged at the front and at the rear in the direction of travel of the support sheet, so that the discharge nozzles in the rear portion are placed between the discharge nozzle on the front.

Examples The following are examples of practicing the present invention:(Example 1) Preparation of the dispersion liquids of the HFFM Ethyl alcohol and ion exchanged water were added to a dispersion liquid of the S-MFC(manufactured by Tokushu Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd.) in the gel state of a 3.0% water dispersion as a standard liquid, to produce three types of the microfibril dispersion liquid, wherein the ethyl alcohol / water ratio was 70/30 and the concentrations of the S-MFC were 0. 25%, 0. 5% and 1%, respectively.

Preparation of dispersion liquids for the coexistence of HFFM / SAP 10 grams of SAP (manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd under the brand "IM-6700") passed through a mesh of 60 to 100 were added to 50 cc of each of the three types of the dispersion liquid of the HFFM mentioned above, to prepare the dispersion suspension of the HFFM / SAP. The prepared dispersion suspension is described as follows:Table 2Formation of the material of the composite sheet of HFFM / SAP Each of the dispersion liquids while stirring were subjected to the removal of the liquid component under a reduced pressure by means of a vacuum cleaner, and then dried at 5 ° C under reduced pressure while they spread on a non-woven cloth of PP. The composition after drying was formed into lumps in the form of beans. The lumpy composition was coiled into a fine mesh and crushed with a wooden hammer, and passed through a 40 to 60 mesh to perform the absorption tests.

Table 3The highly absorbent composition crushed into powder form had, as observed by a microscope, its surface covered by the HFFM as shown in Figures 7 (a) and 7 (b).

Absorbency Evaluation The water absorption rate, gel blocking state, amount of water absorbed and amount of water retained from the SAP described above were measured (passing them through a mesh of 60 to 100 mesh and a mesh of 40 to 60 mesh). ). For the absorption rate, an initial absorption time (in seconds) required to absorb 20 cc of water was measured. For the amount of water absorbed and the amount of water retained, the SAP was measured after being immersed in an excessive amount of physiological saline, according to JIS K-7223. The measured results are shown in Table 4:Table 4Table 4 (Continued)As clearly shown in the results of the measurements tabulated above, absorbency and water retention are somewhat affected by the addition of S-MFC. On the other hand, when the concentration of the S-MFC increased from No. 1 to No. 3, the binding strength of the SAP increased, but the SAP became more difficult to handle because it hardened. In addition, since the concentration was increased, the absorption rate decreased. Therefore, in such applications, such properties (absorption rate and the like) are important, the percent of HFFM to be added to the SAP should preferably be 5% or less. (Example 2) Concentration of the HFFM and the properties of a material in the form of a composite sheet.

Preparation of HFFM dispersion liquid • Prepare a standard solution of bacterial cellulose (BC). The BC (manufactured by B.P.R.), wherein the concentration of solids was 30% was stirred and dissolved in water exchanged ionically by a mixer for about 2 hours to prepare a standard solution, where the solids concentration was 1.2%. • Prepare BC ethyl alcohol / water dispersion liquids. Ethyl alcohol and water were added to a prescribed amount of the standard solution to prepare BC dispersion liquid from 0.02% to 0.80% BC.

Preparation of dispersion liquid in which HFFM / SAP coexist 5 g of SAP (manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.) were added to 50 cc of each of 0.02% to 0.8% dispersion liquid of BC to prepare the dispersion liquids of BC / SAP. In the case where the concentration of the BC was lower in the dispersion liquid, the SAP settled, but when the concentration of the BC becomes higher, it stabilizes. Shaking with an agitator, the systems were stabilized to match the conditions of the systems according to the desired. The descriptions of the coexisting BC / SAP dispersion liquids obtained are the following:Table 5Formation of the material in the form of a composite sheet of HFFM / SAP A filter paper and a non-woven substrate were placed (manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "TCF 403", with an apparent specific gravity of 0.07 grams / c 3) on a Buchner funnel 11 cm in internal diameter connected to a pressure reducing apparatus, and 20 cc of sticky dispersion liquid was poured rapidly onto the substrate nonwoven fabric. The non-woven fabric was subjected to the removal of the liquid component under reduced pressure and dried in hot air to form a composite sheet.

Comparison of the properties of the materials in the form of a composite sheet The properties of the materials in the form of a composite sheet were evaluated and compared, where the BC concentrations were different, the results of which are shown in Table 6. The experimental results show that , when the amount of added BC was increased, the surface force of the materials in the form of composite sheet was greatly implemented, while, on the other hand, the stiffness of the sheet was increased. Therefore, it is necessary to properly select the aggregate amount of BC according to the applications.

Table 6Table 6 (Continued)The evaluation methods to evaluate the articles are described below:Thickness (mm): Measured by a thickness gauge (JIS) in the same way as described above. Weight (g): Measured together with the 110 mm diameter substrate by means of an electronic Roberval balance. SAP + BC deposited (g / m2): Calculated by means of the deduction of the substrate nonwoven fabric of the previous weight and expressed in grams per square meter. Apparent specific density (g / cm3): Calculated from the thickness and weight of the non-woven substrate and the weight of SAP and BC deposited. Rigidity (mm): A sample of 110 mm x 20 mm was measured by a method as shown in Figures 77 and 78. One end of the sample S was connected to the stainless steel measuring edge M at a right angle, and the measurement scale was measured at the position where the sample was bent (to mm).

Evaluation of the stability of the union of the SAP (test of adherence to 180 degrees using cellophane adhesive tape) Adhered cellophane adhesive tape(manufactured by Nichiban Co., Ltd., under the trademark"CELLOTAPE") of 15 mm width on the sample in an adhered area of 15 mm x 10 mm, and the adhered area was lightly pressed with a flannel cloth, and a load of 1 kg / cm2 was applied for 10 minutes . After the load was removed, the cellophane adhesive tape was detached with the hand of the sample in a 180 degree adhesion condition. By measuring the adhered area (%) of the SAP adhered on the cellophane tape, the binding strength of the HFFMs was judged by such adhered area of the SAP. The criteria for judgment are shown in Figure 79.

Evaluation of the amounts of water absorbed and the amounts of water retained by composite samples. The composite samples were immersed in a sufficient amount of physiological saline for 30 minutes and then the amounts of water absorbed and the amounts of water retained by JIS K-7223 were measured. The measurements were converted to the content ofSAP. The results are shown in Table 7 below:Table 7Table 7 (Continued)(Example 3) Continuous coating experiments A highly absorbent composition was produced using an apparatus shown in Figure 61, provided with a coating unit as shown in Figure 63, using the following materials: (1) Microfibrils: S-MFC (manufactured by Tokushu Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd.) (2) SAP: 1M-4000 (manufactured by Hoechst-Celanese Co.) (3) Suspension medium: Acetone / water system. (4) Coating composition: Component% by weight S-MFC 0.4 SAP 30.0 Acetone 48.8 Water 20.8 (5) Support sheet: A thermally bonded non-woven web was used through two-layer air (40 g / cm2 , apparent specific density of 0.06), which has the following composition: Top layer: Mixed rayon net (denier of 4 x 45 mm in length (70%)), and PE / PET (denier of 2 x 45 mm in length ( 30%)), approximately 25 g / cm2. Bottom layer: A single PE / PET two-component fiber network (2 x 45 mm long denier), approximately 15 g / cm2. A mixture of dispersion liquids of the above composition (4) was applied continuously at approximately 10 mm in width to a range of 5 mm in width on the surface of the support sheet 13, while the sheet was coated at a speed of 10. m / min Subsequently, the solvent was removed from the support sheet and compressed with a roller, and then dried in hot air. The highly absorbent composite sheet obtained had the following characteristics: Weight 195 g / cm2 SAP Quantity 150 g / m2 Longitudinal rigidity: 20 mm Lateral 75 mm Surface resistance: class 5 (180 degree adhesion test)The amount of water retained in the absorbent was measured by JIS K-7223. As a result, the SAP retained water at a rate of 40.2 grams of water per 1 gram of SAP, which was almost equivalent to the "white" level.

(Example 4) An ultrathin disposable diaper commercially available as the "white" was used. A sample was prepared by removing the absorbent components, including the tissue of one such disposable diaper and, for such absorbent components, incorporating an absorbent composed of a highly absorbent composition of the present invention. The absorbent incorporated in the sample was prepared by the following procedure: first, a composite sheet as obtained in Example 3 above, was cut into a shape and dimensions as shown in Figure 80. On the other hand, a network was prepared of pulp provided with a fabric of approximately 90 g / cm2. Drops of water were sprayed onto the composite sheet by spraying with a manual spray for a household iron to make the weight of the sheet from 2 to 3 g / cm2. The cut absorbent was placed on the sheet, and pressed under pressure by means of a plate at a temperature of 140 to 150 ° C. Five pieces of sample were prepared. For each piece of sample, the amount of water absorbed, amount of water retained and rewetted was measured. The amount of water absorbed and the amount of water retained were measured by JIS K-7223. Rewetting was measured as follows: 120 cc of physiological saline was poured onto a sample, three times at five minute intervals, and rewetting was measured for each of the three times under a pressure of 12.5 kg of absorbent area. The test results described above were tabulated in the following table. The measurements are shown in the average of five pieces shown.

Table 8Table 8 (continued)From Table 8 it is shown that a sample wherein an absorbent composed of a highly absorbent composition of the present invention, which is about 70% by weight and half the thickness of a commercially available disposable diaper, has equivalent absorbent properties or higher compared to the last.

(Example 5) 1) Preparation of the SAP suspension To a dispersion liquid of 21.15% water of the S-MFC (manufactured by Tokushu Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Super Microfibril Cellulose"), they added the required amounts of water and ethanol to prepare an ethanol / water dispersion liquid (the ratio of ethanol / water is 60/40) where the concentration of MFC was 0.86% by weight. To this dispersion liquid was added a small-cut fiber component composed of low-melting two-component polyester / PET fiber with a denier of 1.5 and a fiber length of 2 mm in an amount equivalent to the amount of S-MFC, and dispersed with a mixer. Then, while stirring in a stirrer with a propellant, the required amount of SAP (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Aquapearl US-40") was added to produce a three component suspension comprised of 30 % by weight of SAP, 0.6% by weight of MFC and 0.6% by weight of the cut-off component of small cut.2) Preparation of a support sheet A nonwoven fabric was prepared by centrifugation, two layers, where a first layer was composed of fine denier rayon fiber with a denier of 1.25 and 51 mm in length and a second layer Composed of thick denier PET fiber with a denier of 6 and 51 mm in length. The weight of this non-woven fabric was 30 g / m2, with an apparent specific density of 0.025 g / cm3, with the first layer with a higher density and the second layer with a lower density.3) Preparation of the composite absorbent The three-component suspension was applied to the second layer of the support sheet with a coating device in an amount to cause the deposited amount of SAP to be 150 g / cm2. Then, immediately afterwards it was sucked and the liquid component was removed, and pressed hot for a few minutes at 180 ° C. The support sheet was then dried in hot air to produce a composite absorbent (I). Also, the absorbent compound (I) was then dried in hot air again at 150 ° C to produce a composite absorbent (II). The structure of the absorbent compositions (I) and (II) were observed under the microscope. As shown in a diagram of Figure 54, it was confirmed that on a second layer 111b of the support sheet composed of a first layer Illa and the second voluminous layer 111b and in space, the SAP 112 particles were stacked and the small cut cut fiber components existed as an entanglement with the SAP particles and covering the SAP particles as an umbrella, and, over the surfaces of the SAP particles the small cut fiber component, the MFC 114 was deposited .

(Comparative Example 1) In Example 1, a process was applied to produce the absorbent compound (II) to produce the absorbent compound (ii) except that the cut-off fiber component of small cut was not added.< Evaluation of the absorbent compounds > With the three types of absorbent compositions obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 used, the sustainability of the swollen SAP and the diffusion of the absorbent liquid by the swollen SAP when wet was tested by the test methods described above. The test results are summarized in Table 9 below:Table 9From the results tabulated above, the following judgments can be made: © Sustainability of swollen SAP Compound absorbent (I) showed good retention of swollen SAP, which consisted of a cut fiber of small cut of two components that contained an easy component of melt incorporated. The absorbent compound (II)) which was thermally treated, in an adequate manner, showed remarkable sustainability in a partially rigorous test of sustainability suspended vertically.

However, the absorbent compound (ii) in theComparative Example 1, where the cut-to-cut small-fiber component was not incorporated, showed a substantially lower sustainability than the swollen SAP than the absorbent compositions (I) and (II) in Example 1. This was probably due to the incorporation of small-cut staple fibers containing easy-to-melt fibers and heat treatment, the small-cut staple fibers were fused together and the small-cut staple fibers and the stereospecific fibers of the support sheet were fused at their points of contact, so that stereospecific networks were generated, which retained the swollen SAP. © Dispersion of absorbed liquid Although the combination of small-cut, easy-to-melt staple fibers and the thermal fusion of the fibers by the heat treatment would adversely affect the absorption and diffusion rate of a liquid, there was little or no influence on the absorption time and there was only a small influence on the diffusion time, which never gave rise to any problem of practical use at all.

(Example 6) 1) Preparation of SAP suspensions To an 0.5% aqueous dispersion liquid of the BC (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Bacteria Cellulose") as the HFFM, the required amounts were added of water and ethanol to prepare an ethanol / water dispersion liquid (the ratio of ethanol to water is 60 to 40%) wherein the concentration of the BC is 0.21% by weight. To this dispersion liquid, PE pulp (manufactured by Mitsui Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "A P-E400") was added with a denier of 0.1 to 3 and a fiber length of 0.3 to 5 mm as the small-cut fiber cut component in quantities to produce seven ratios of small-cut cut fiber component to BC (P / Q ratio), and the mixture was uniformly dispersed by means of a mixer to prepare seven types of dispersion liquid from different mixing ratios. In addition, at each of the seven types (different in the mixing ratios of the BC and SWP) of the dispersion liquid of BC / SWP while being agitated with a propeller mixer, the required amount of SAP (manufactured by Mitsubishi) was added. Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Aquapearl") to prepare seven types of three component suspension. All suspensions of three components in the suspension of SAP were 15% and the ratio of BC to SAP was 1%. The concentrations of the components and the dispersion of SAP in all suspensions of three components are shown in Table 10 below:Table 10In the P / Q ratios of 10/1 to 1/3 (the SWP concentration is 0.45%), there was no coagulation of the SWP and the SWP dispersed stably, but when the ratio exceeded 1/5 ( the concentration of the SWP is 0.75%), the suspension became turbid, observing little coagulation but could still be practically used. However, in the case where the P / Q ratio was around 1/10, the SWP coagulated too much to make a suspension. Therefore, from the point of view of stable dispersion, the upper limit was judged to be 1/5 for practical purposes.2) Preparation of the support sheets A two-layer thermally bonded, non-woven web was prepared with a first layer composed of a 50% rayon blended web or web with a denier of 1.5 and 40. mm in length and 50% of two-component PE / PET fiber with a 2 and 51 mm long denier and a second composite layer of PE / PET two-component fiber with a denier of 3 and a length of 51 mm on the other and united in hot air. The weight of the non-woven fabric was 30 g / m2, and the apparent specific density was 0.02 g / cm2.3) Preparation of the composite absorbent In the second layer of this support sheet each of the six types of suspension of three components (except one that could not be prepared in suspension of the dispersion due to the ratio of P / Q of 1/10 and of the seven types of the three component suspension) by means of a coating device in an amount to make the deposited amount of the SAP to be 150 g / m2. After sucking and removing the liquid component, the support sheets were pressed for several minutes by means of a hot roller 180 ° C and then dried in hot air to prepare six types of absorbent compounds (III) to (VIII).< Evaluation of the absorbent compounds > For the six types of composite absorbent, the sustainability of the swollen SAP and the diffusion of the liquid absorbed by the swollen SAP were tested by the test methods described above. The results are summarized in the following table:Table 11Table 11 (Continued)From the test results tabulated above the following judgments can be made: F Sustainability of the swollen SAP In the composite absorbent, where the SWP content was lower (P / Q = 10/1), no noticeable improvement in the sustainability of the SAP swollen, but when the SWP content increased, the sustainability of the swollen SAP improved: at a P / Q ratio of approximately 3/1, the retention reached an almost constant level, and at the P / Q ratio of 1 / 1 or higher, the sustainability of the swollen SAP in the wet state was excellent. The lower limit to realize the effects of the SWP seems to be around a P / Q ratio of 5/1 for practical purposes.

® Dispersion of the absorbed liquid. The velocity of a composite absorbent for absorbing a liquid and the velocity of the liquid absorbed to be dispersed in the composite absorbent were affected by the concentration of a combined small-cut shear fiber component and the P / Q ratio. For example, in the absorbent compositions (III) to (VI) of the P / Q ratio ranging from 10/1 to 1/1, there was no appreciable difference between them and they were all good. However, in the absorbent compositions (VII) and (VIII) of the P / Q ratio of 1/3 and 1/5, although the sustainability of the swollen SAP improved, the absorption of liquid and the diffusion of the liquid tended to diminish. .

(Example 7) 1) Preparation of an SAP suspension To an aqueous dispersion liquid 2.15% of S-MFC(manufactured by Tokushu Paper Mfg. Co. Ltd., under the brand name"Super Micro Fibril Cellulose") were added the required amounts of water and polyethylene glycol to prepare a water dispersion liquid / propylene glycol (PG) (PG / water = 70/30), where the concentration of MFC was 0.86 % in weigh. This dispersion liquid was added the required amount of SAP (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Aquapearl US-40") to prepare a two component suspension of 30% by weight of SAP and 0.6% by weight. weight of MFC.2) Preparation of a support sheet A two-layer thermally bonded, non-woven web was prepared with a first layer composed of a carded network of two-component PE / PET fibers with a denier of 1.5 and a length of 51 mm and a second layer composed of two-component PE / PET fibers with a denier of 3 and 51 mm in length placed on top of each other, and joined in hot air. The weight of this non-woven fabric was 30 g / m2, and the apparent specific density was 0.03 g / cm3.3) Preparation of a composite absorbent. The support sheet was placed on a plastic net with the second layer facing upwards, and the two-component suspension described above was applied by a roller coating device over the entire surface of the support sheet, so that it It was covered continuously, in an amount to make the amount deposited from the SAP was 200 g / m2. Immediately afterwards, the suction and removal of the liquid component was carried out. Next, a dispersion liquid of 0.5% wood pulp was poured over the suspension layer and a thin layer stream of a flow coating device in an amount to make the wood pulp 2% (4). g / m2) for the SAP. Immediately afterwards, the suction and removal of the liquid component was carried out, so that the SAP was swollen, the support sheet was then hot pressed for several minutes by means of a hot roller, whose surface temperature was 150 ° C. In addition, the support sheet was again dried in hot air at 140 ° C to produce a composite absorbent.< Evaluation of the composite absorbent > The composite absorbent showed remarkable sustainability of the swollen SAP: the swollen SAP did not separate or detach from the substrate. Also, since the surface of the support sheet was coated with hydrophilic wood pulp, the absorbency of a liquid was excellent and the diffusion of an absorbent liquid was also at a level that did not give rise to any practical problems. It was confirmed that, when this absorbent composite was used as the absorbent of a baby diaper, an additional nonwoven fabric layer was not required for acquisition, because, when the first layer and the top sheet were used joined together, the first layer worked as the acquisition layer.

(Example 8) The surface of a nonwoven fabric by a wet process of 40 g / m2 by weight (manufactured by Futamura Chemical Industries Co., Ltd, under the trademark "TCF 404") was raised by brushing to produce an apparent specific density of 0.04 g / cm3. On the raised surface of this support sheet, the SAP particles (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "US-40") were dispersed using a vibrating screen in an amount to cause the dispersed amount to be of 120 g / m2. Separately, a mixture of dispersion liquid was prepared, where S-MFC and PVA cut fiber were dispersed easily dissolved in hot water (with a denier of 1.5 and a length of 2 mm), so that the concentration of each of the MFC and PVA fibers was 0.5%. The raised surface of the support sheet was coated with a dispersion liquid mixture by a flow coating device in an amount to make the percentage of each of the S-MFC and the PVA fiber to the SAP 1 % (1.5 g / m2), immediately after, the liquid component was suctioned and removed. Next, the support sheet was hot pressed by means of a hot roll at 200 ° C, and dried in hot air at 100 ° C to manufacture a composite absorbent. Only little SAP was separated or detached from the obtained absorbent compound, and thus, had a level of sustainability of the swollen SAP that did not give rise to any practical problems. The absorption and diffusion of the liquid were extremely good. This was probably due to the fact that the support sheet and the small cut fiber component were hydrophilic.

(Example 9) 1) Preparation of a three component dispersion liquid. Lyocell was added with a denier of 1.4 and a length of 3 mm (trademark, produced by Coutaulds) and dispersed in an ethanol / water dispersion medium = 60/40 to prepare a 0.5% dispersion liquid. This dispersion liquid was stirred by a mixer to fibrillate the Lyocell. MFC was then added and dispersed in the dispersion liquid in an amount to cause the concentration of the MFC in the dispersion liquid to be 0.5%, and the dispersion liquid was treated for 5 minutes with a mixer to prepare a Two component dispersion liquid. SAP lamellae or flakes (manufactured by Hoechst-Celanese under the trademark "IM-4000") of 50 mesh were added to the two-component dispersion liquid, while the dispersion liquid was slowly stirred in an amount to make the concentration of the SAP was 25%, to produce a dispersion liquid of three components of SAP, MFC and Lyocell.2) Preparation of a support sheet A blended, carded web or netting composed of 50% rayon staple fiber (with a 1.5 x 35 mm length denier) and 50% PE two-component fiber was prepared. PET (with a denier of 3 x 41 mm in length) with a weight of 15 g / m2, and the carded fabric was placed on the non-woven fabric joined by centrifugation of PP with a weight of 15 g / m2 entangled by means of a water jet to produce a multi-layer nonwoven fabric, which became a backing sheet.3) Fabrication of a Compound Absorber As shown in Figure 81, the three-component suspension 822 was discharged from a plurality of discharge tubes directly connected to a suspension pump on the surface of the cut rayon / fiber fiber two. components of a support sheet 821 in the pattern shown in Figure 81. After removal of the liquid component under reduced pressure, the support sheet was fixed by means of a hot press and dried to produce a composite absorbent. The obtained absorbent composite was about 130 g / m2 in terms of the total applied SAP, and the portions (SAP) formed in the lines on the composite absorbent were from about 200 to 250 g / m2.4) Application to the absorbent for use in baby diapers. As shown in Figure 82 (a), the dry-quilted carded network non-woven fabric 831 was prepared as an upper sheet in contact with a user's skin, mainly composed of PE / PET two-component fiber of 18 g / m2 with a denier of 1.5 x 41 mm in length. On this nonwoven fabric 831, polyurethane filament yarns 832 (manufactured by Toray Co., Ltd., under the trademark "Lycra") were joined by the hot melt method in rows at intervals as shown in the Figure 82 (a) to form a top sheet. The top sheet provided with an elastic member and a composite absorber 833 as shown in Figure 82 (b) obtained in this Example 9 of the present invention, were joined by thermal fusion in the upper portions, where no absorbent existed, for What was obtained was a bonded member of the topsheet and the composite absorbent having the structure shown in Figure 82 (c). The bonded member was covered on the side of the absorbent comprised of a leak resistant member 834 made by bonding a PE film and non-woven fabric as shown in Figure 82 (d) to obtain an absorbent for use in a baby diaper 200 mm wide and 400 mm long. This absorber was immersed in physiological saline and then removed and placed on a network so that the free liquid was removed from the absorbent. The total amount of solution absorbed, measured was 600 cc. The initial penetration rate was 20 seconds with 100 ce, and the rewet was 0.5 grams. Thus, the composite absorbent of the present invention proved to have excellent absorbent properties.

) Application for use in towels for incontinent women As shown in Figure 83, a suspension of the composition described above 842 was applied on a circular support sheet 841 as shown in Figure 83 (a) in the form of a donut of 120 mm circular support sheet 841 as shown in Figure 83 (a) in the form of a 120 mm diameter donut with a central hole 50 mm in diameter and, after drying, the surface was covered with a bound fabric by hydrophobic centrifugation 843 to produce a composite absorbent. This absorbent composite was folded into a fan shape as shown in Figure 83 (c), and the tip of the absorbent composite was covered with an open PE nonwoven fabric 844 to produce an incontinent towel of a structure as shown in FIG. Figure 83 (d). There was no absorbent in the portion where the open PE nonwoven fabric 844 was provided, and the portion that was in the thin sheet was for partial insertion into the vagina to secure the towel to the wearer's body. The amount of liquid retained by this incontinent towel was 5 cc, and the incontinent towel was used as a sample in a test of use by the patient who had a slight incontinence, with the result that the patient's underwear was not stained and that could be used in a stable manner.

(Example 10) < Preparing a suspension >; an aqueous dispersion standard of 3% by weight of S-MFC was added to produce a dispersion medium composed of 60 parts of phenol and 40 parts of water to prepare a dispersion liquid of 0.6% by weight of S-MFC. In this dispersion liquid, the SAP equivalent to 30% by weight (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd., under the trademark "US-40" with an average particle diameter of 200 microns) was added, while the SAP was stirred by means of a propeller agitator to prepare a suspension.< Training with the suspension pattern on the support sheet > Using a suspension coating apparatus as shown in Figure 76 (a suspension discharge portion thereof is illustrated, amplified in Figure 66), the suspension was applied on the upper surface of TFC (cellulosic non-woven fabric) of 40 g / m2 used as a support sheet to form a suspension pattern by means of tube pumps arranged in many rows in an amount to make the average deposited amount of the SAP was 125 g / m2. Due to the pulsation generated by the stroke of the tube pump, a sheet having an ellipsoidal pattern was formed, which has intermittent thickness suspension in the central regions.< Union of the suspension formed in a pattern to the support sheet > A support sheet on which the suspension was formed in a pattern was pressed by means of a hot pressure roller at 160 ° C and a suction roller, as shown in Figure 76, and at the same time was sucked and removed. the excess dispersion medium. Subsequently, the sheet made contact with the hot roller for approximately 5 seconds to remove the liquid component from the sheet and the applied suspension was attached to the support sheet in a safe manner. Subsequently, the support sheet was detached from the hot roll and air dried to produce an absorbent sheet. At that time, there were no suspension deposits on the hot roller due to partial detachment of the support sheet. For comparison, the sheet was passed at room temperature, with the hot roller unheated, in which case the majority of the suspension that formed a pattern on the support sheet was detached and deposited on the surface of the roller. From this fact, the effects of the union of the SAP to the support sheet by the hot roller were confirmed. After hot pressing, the dry sheet showed a pattern distribution as shown in Figure 55. The binding to the support sheet as shown in the sectional view, fragmented of Figure 56, and the applied SAP, was in one layer in the thin regions, in almost three layers in the thick regions and in almost two layers in the middle regions. This difference in the thickness or in the number of layers gave a desired distribution of the concentrations, which were not uniform, but continuous.< Properties of the leaves formed with patterns > We observed a composite piece taken from each of the regions that had the thick SAP pattern, the thin SAP pattern, and the average SAP pattern in cross section by means of an amplifying lens, to confirm the number of SAP layers , so the amount of liquid absorbed and absorption speed were evaluated as the absorption properties of the SAP liquid. © Amount of liquid absorbed: Using an aqueous solution of 0.9% NaCl (physiological saline), a method corresponding to a method to test an amount of water absorbed from JIS K-7223 was applied. ® Absorption rate: A plurality of sample pieces of approximately 5 mm × 10 mm were immersed in a large amount of aqueous NaCl solution at0. 9% and was measured in time until the SAP in the sample swelled almost completely, in seconds. For the amount of liquid absorbed, 10 cm x 10 cm sample pieces were taken from the support sheet including the thick and thin coated portions, and as the average value of the entire sheet, the total amount of the liquid absorbed was 6.0 kg / m2. When the process of absorbing the liquid was observed, it was confirmed that the weakly coated region first absorbed, and the absorption progressed gradually to the middle coating and then to the heavily coated region. The differences in the speed of liquid absorption between the regions are shown in Table 12:Table 12From the results tabulated above, it was confirmed that the obtained absorbent sheet was flexible and had a characteristic property of providing distribution of highly absorbent regions with different absorption rates.

(Example 11) < Preparation of an SAP suspension having different particle diameters > SAPs were prepared whose average particle diameters were 200 microns and 800 microns. A blank in Example 10 was used as the 200-micron US-40 sample from Mitsubishi Chemical, while the granulated SAP with high 800-micron surface crosslinking was used as the sample. The following table shows the measurements of the absorption time of 20 cc of physiological saline solution per 1 g of SAP: With time to absorb the liquid by the SAP (Refer to Example 10 above), the particle diameter becomes larger, It takes longer for the liquid to penetrate inside and the swelling becomes slower.

Table 13Two types of 30% by weight suspension of SAP were prepared having the properties described above in the same manner as Example 10 above.< Coating a support sheet with the suspension > Two heads were provided in a suspension coating apparatus as shown in Figure 66 to feed two types of suspension containing SAPs whose particle diameters were different, and the apparatus was modified to alternately feed different types of suspension to the pumps respective. Using this apparatus, two types of suspension were deposited in a pattern on the TCF side of a support sheet in an amount to make the deposited amount of SAP be 125 g / cm2, respectively, in a procedure similar to that applied in the Example 10 above. In this way, absorbent sheets with the suspension deposited in a pattern were obtained. In the distribution of the pattern in this case, as mentioned above, the rows of the pattern were coated with the SAP of different particle sizes, alternatively. Although an SAP of the same concentration was applied, due to the difference in particle size, the pattern in which the SAP of the largest particle diameter was applied was relatively thick. The obtained leaf on which the SAP of different particle diameters was applied was cut to a size of 10 cm x 10 cm, and placed in a Petri dish. 60 cc of physiological saline solution, three times, of 200 cc each, were added at 5 minute intervals, and the state of absorption was observed. The results of the observation are shown in Table 14. It was confirmed that the finer particle SAP swelled first and that the absorption progressed to larger particle diameters.

Table 14(Example 12) < Preparation of a first dispersion liquid > Wood pulp (manufactured by Weyerhaeuser, NBKP, kraft pulp, bleached, wood, needle-shaped leaves) was added and the SAP (manufactured by Hoechst-Celanese under the trademark "IM-4500"), a small amount of Thickener (PEO) to make paper, to prepare an EtOH / water dispersion liquid = 50/50 containing pulp / SAP = 4 parts / 6 parts. The concentration of this prepared suspension was approximately 2%.< Formation of an absorbent sheet from the first dispersion liquid > The suspension of the dispersion liquid described above was poured onto a non-woven PE / PET fabric (manufactured by Unitika Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Elves") of 210 g / m 2 treated to make it hydrophilic placed on a plastic mesh of 60 mesh to prepare an absorbent network formed in wet. By pressing and drying this net or absorbent mesh, an absorbent sheet having 100 g / m2 absorbent layers composed of pulp / SAP = 4/6 was obtained.< Preparation of a second dispersion liquid > A suspension including 30% SAP and 0.6% MFC was prepared in an EtOH / water dispersion liquid = 6/4 prepared by a procedure identical to that applied in Example 10 above.< Formation of an absorbent sheet from the second dispersion liquid > On an absorbent sheet made from the first dispersion liquid described above having uniform layers of pulp / SAP, a suspension was fed in a pattern similar to islands in the sea at 5 mm intervals, using an experimental tube pump (marketed under the brand name "MASTER FLEX") with the second dispersion liquid contained in a silicone rubber tube of 3 mm internal diameter. Next, the absorbent sheet was hot pressed, using a Teflon-coated domestic hot plate, heated to 130 ° C and then dried. The layers formed from the second dispersion liquid had an SAP of approximately 120 g / m2 on average, although thicker in some places and thinner in others.< Absorbent sheet that has highly absorbent regions in a pattern of islands in the sea and their properties > The absorbent sheet obtained in this way had a distribution of almost uniform absorbent layers (containing SAP of approximately 60 g / m2) derived from the first dispersion liquid and absorbent layers (containing SAP of approximately 120 g / m2) derived from the second liquid of dispersion, the latter absorbent layers, which were distributed in a given pattern partially similar to the pattern shown in Figure 16. In this way, an absorbent sheet having a two-layered structure, one thick and one thin, was obtained. The absorbent sheet was cut in 10 cm x 10 cm to make a sample. The sample was placed in a Petri dish, 0.9% physiological saline was poured to perform absorption tests at multiple times. Absorption tests were performed four times at 5 minute intervals with 15 cc each. The results are shown in Table 15.

Table 15Table 15 (Continued)(Example 13) < Preparation of an SAP suspension > A suspension composed of SAP and MFC was prepared with a procedure identical to that applied in Example 10 above.< Preparation of a liquid pervious support sheet > An air-cushioned pulp sheet containing the SAP (manufactured by Hinshu Kinocloth under the trademark "B-SAP"), whose weight was 85 g / m, was prepared. In this pulp sheet, the SAP of 20 g / m was mixed.< Discharge the suspension to form a pattern > The suspension described above was discharged via a suspension pump in a pattern arranged in many rows or bands having an undefined circumference, each on the support sheet described above, according to the movement, from a nozzle having a similar discharge outlet to an incision as shown in Figure 68. Next, the support sheet was pressed under pressure by means of a hot roll whose surface temperature was 140 ° C and air dried to produce an absorbent sheet. In the distribution of the patterns on this absorbent sheet, the absorbent layers were distributed in a pattern similar to that of the scheme of Figure 17.

(Example 14) The HFFMs (manufactured by Daicel Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Celish KY100G") in the gel state were dispersed in a medium of MeOH / water dispersion = 70/30 to produce a dispersion liquid with a 0.6% concentration. In 1 liter of this dispersion liquid, 400 g of SAP (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "US40") was added and stirred to prepare a co-dispersion suspension of the HFFM and the SAP. This co-dispersion suspension was applied on any surface of a 30 g / m2 cellulose non-woven fabric (manufactured by Futamara Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "TCF # 403"), and the non-woven fabric was subjected to the removal of the liquid component and dried to obtain an absorbent sheet. The thickness of this absorbent sheet was approximately 0.6 mm and the SAP content was 150 g / m2. The absorbent sheet was cut into 350 cm x 250 cm. As shown in Figure 84, the sheet was bent inward at its position 75 mm from each side with the surface coated with the SAP facing inward to produce an absorbent. Next, as shown on page 85, the sheet was attached to a liquid impermeable sheet 902 with the sides bent via the adhesive 901 to produce an absorbent tube 900. The thickness of this obtained absorbent tube 900 was 1.3 mm including sheet impervious to liquids 902. The swelling test was carried out by pouring 200 cc of physiological saline each time, twice, with 400 cc in total, on the absorbent side of the absorbent tube. The result was that 2 minutes after the first 200 cc were poured into the absorbent side it was inflated into a tube having an ellipsoidal cross section of approximately 6 mm in thickness, and 2 minutes after the second 200 cc were poured in, the thickness was increased to approximately 12 mm.

(Example 15) A non-woven fabric (manufactured by Oji Paper Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Teccel") was prepared by entangling centrifugally bonded non-woven fabric, two-component PP / PE and pulp, together in a stream of high pressure jet. On the other hand, commercially available biocellulose gel was dispersed in an EtOH / water dispersion medium = 60/40 to prepare a dispersion with a concentration of 0.3%. In 1 liter of this dispersion liquid, 400 g of the SAP (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "US 40") was added and stirred to prepare a co-dispersion suspension of the HFFM and the SAP. Any surface of the non-woven fabric described above was coated with a coating of this co-dispersion suspension in a plurality of bands 7 mm wide at 5 mm intervals, and the non-woven fabric was subjected to the removal of the liquid component and dried to obtain an absorbent sheet.

The absorbent sheet was cut into 350 mm x 250 mm, and then the cut sheet was folded with the surface with the SAP applied inwardly in a flat cylindrical shape, as shown in Figure 86, and the folded portions of both sides were joined via adhesive 903 to produce an absorbent tube 900. The thickness of the absorbent tube thus obtained was about 2 mm. The swelling test was carried out by pouring 200 cc of physiological saline each time, 400 in total, on the absorbent tube. The result was that 2 minutes after the first 22 cc were poured, the absorbent tube swelled in the form of a tube containing an ellipsoidal cross section of approximately 10 mm, and 2 minutes after the second 200 cc discharges, the thickness it was increased to approximately 20 mm.

(Example 16) A bound cloth was prepared by centrifugation ofPP of 18 g / m2 and a 30 g / m2 blended mixed fiber fabric network composed of 60% cut PET fiber (3 x 51 mm long denier) and 40% rayon cut fiber(denier of 1.5 x 35 mm in length). Mixed carded fabric placed on the spin-bonded nonwoven fabric was blended in a high pressure water jet stream to prepare a nonwoven fabric composed of a structure shown in Figure 37. The composite non-woven fabric was coated with a non-woven fabric. a suspension of co-dispersion of HFFM and SAP used in Example 14 above, and subjected to the removal of the liquid components and dried to obtain an absorbent sheet of approximately 2 mm thickness composed of three layers of the non-woven fabric by centrifugation , the web or carded network, and the SAP fixed by the HFFM, only on any surface on the absorbent sheet on which the SAP particles were contained at a density of 150 g / cm2. This absorbent sheet was cut into strips 350 mm wide, and the cut sheet became a tube with both longitudinal sides facing each other at intervals of approximately 30 mm. Separately, from a discarded diaper (manufactured by Kao Corporation under the trademark "Super Merries (large size)"), the inner sheet of the absorbent core was removed, and, instead of the region where such sheet and core exist as shown in Figure 38, the absorbent tube described above was placed in contact with the exposed outer sheet of the diaper, attached to the liquid impervious sheet at both lateral ends, via an adhesive.

On the diaper thus obtained, absorption tests were conducted in a procedure generally practiced in this field. As the test results, the following results were obtained: © rewet amount (3 minute interval) First rewet (100 cc): 0.5 g Second rewet (100 cc): 0.8 g Third rewet (100 cc): 2.0 g ® total amount absorbed (physiological saline): 680 cc Retained quantity: 480 cc(Example 17) A non-woven two component PE / PET fabric of 20 g / m 2 (manufactured by Unirika Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Elves") was stretched and thermosetted, as shown in Figure 57 Prepare a non-woven fabric that is easy to stretch. This non-woven fabric had the following properties: Weight 31.2 g / m2 Thickness 0.24 mm Density 0.132 g / cm2 Elongation extension 35% (MD) / 370% (CD) 100% elongation module in CR 83 g / 5 cm.

The easy-to-elongate non-woven fabric described above was coated with a co-dispersion suspension of HFFM and SAP in a procedure identical to that applied in Example 14 above, and heated, pressed and subjected to removal of the liquid component and dried to obtain a Absorbent sheet with the SAP particles contained in a density of 180 g / m2 only on any surface. The absorbent sheet was bent into a tube with the SAP carrier surface facing inward. Both side ends of the sheet were faced and joined at the meeting portion of both side ends with a thermal adhesive tape placed on the outer side to prepare an absorbent tube of approximately 30 mm outer diameter having a nearly circular cross section. The absorbent tube thus obtained was placed in a plastic tray, and exchanged water was poured and only on the absorbent tube until the tube did not absorb more water, and was allowed to stand for 10 minutes. As a result, the diameter of the absorbent tube was increased to 66 mm, but SAP was not observed to leak from the outer side of the non-woven fabric.

(Example 18) A 60 g / m2 weight elastic net commercially available on the market was prepared as an absorbent sheet, where polyethylene monofilaments were crossed with the longitudinal filament members and SEBS monofilaments as side strand members at right angles each other and joined at the points of intersection. Separately, a carded parallel net or fabric of 25 g / m2 composed of the following fibers A and B was prepared: A: two-component fibers with a denier of 2 x 51 mm in length, composed of a polypropylene random polymer as the core and ethylene / propylene as the liner. B: Lyocell made by Coutaulds with a denier of 1.5 x 35 mm in length. A carded parallel net or web A was laminated onto the surface of the elastic net described above and another carded parallel net or web B was laminated on the other surface of the net, and the net with the carded parallel webs or webs was entangled by of a water jet stream once each on the top and back side of the laminated members under a pressure of 50 kg / cm2 from a nozzle having 0.13 mm diameter holes provided at 0.6 mm intervals. In addition, the water stream was blasted from the top under the pressure of 80 kg / cm2 from a nozzle having 0.13 mm diameter holes provided in a row at 5 mm intervals. Next, the laminated members were dehydrated and dried to produce a non-woven fabric easy to stretch with portions joined in longitudinal lines formed longitudinally, a structure as shown in Figures 59 and 60. The properties of the non-woven fabric were as follows : Weight 110.00 g / m2 Thickness 1.22 mm Tensile strength on CD 1.50 kg / 5 cm Elongation at CR 270.00% Elongation module on CD 50% 150 g / 5 cm 100% 200 g / 5 cm 150% 320 g / 5 cm (Notes) The properties described above were measured under the following conditions: Tensile strength: A sample piece 5 cm wide and 15 cm long (the transverse direction of the non-woven fabric is the longitudinal direction of the sample ) was maintained at a retention distance of 10 cm, and was extended at a speed of 30 cm per minute by means of a tensile tester of the constant speed stretching type. The value of the load to the break was taken as the pulling force. Elongation module: A sample piece 5 cm wide and 15 cm long (the transverse direction of the nonwoven fabric is the longitudinal direction of the sample) was maintained at a retention distance of 10 cm, and was lengthened 150 % at a speed of 30 cm per minute by means of a tensile tester of the constant speed stretching type. From the deformation stress curve obtained at that moment, an effort was read at an extension of 50%, 100% and 150%. The readings were taken as the elongation module. Thickness: The thickness was measured by means of a thickness gauge (manufactured by Daiei Kagaku Seiki Co., Ltd. under the trademark "THICKNESS GAUGE") under a load of 3 g per 1 cm2. The Lyocell side of the easy to stretch nonwoven fabric described above was coated with a co-dispersion suspension of HFFM and SAP in a procedure identical to that applied in Example 14 above. The non-woven fabric was subjected to the removal of the liquid component and dried to obtain an absorbent sheet with the SAP particles contained in a density of 125 g / m2 only on one surface. In addition, a layer of crushed wood pulp of 150 g / m2 was placed on the side of the absorbent sheet containing the SAP particles, with such an inward facing side, the absorbent sheet was folded into a tube with the lateral ends oriented one towards the other at a range of 30 mm and joined to an outer sheet of polyethylene prepared separately by means of hot melt type adhesive to obtain an absorbent tube attached in an integrated manner to the outer sheet. The thickness of this absorbent tube was approximately 4 mm. The absorbent tube thus obtained was placed in a plastic tray, and ion exchanged water was poured from the top of the absorbent tube until the absorbent tube absorbed no more water, and was allowed to stand for 10 minutes. As a result, the thickness of the absorbent tube was increased to 30 mm, but SAP was not observed to leak to the outer side of the non-woven fabric.

(Example 19) < Preparation of a sheet impermeable to liquids that has teeth on the surface > A 30 micron polyethylene film having bevel-like openings was prepared, as shown in Figure 39, all on the surface (manufactured by Tredgar under the trademark "VISPORE X-6170").< Preparation of a suspension of absorbent materials > Separately, MFC gel (manufactured by Daicel Co., Ltd. under the trademark "Celish KY-100G") was dispersed in an ethanol / water dispersion medium = 70/30 to prepare 1 liter of the MFC dispersion liquid to 0.5%. To this dispersion liquid, 200 g of SAP particles (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "US40") were added to prepare a codipersion suspension of SAP and MFC.< Preparation of the absorbent sheet > The polyethylene film described above having openings was, with the surface having larger openings facing upwards, coated with the co-dispersion suspension of the SAP and the MFC when the polyethylene film was fed and transported on a belt band conveyor. 80 mesh plastic provided with a suction zone. In the suction zone, the co-dispersion suspension of the SAP and the MFC on the polyethylene film having openings, was subjected to the removal of the liquid component through the openings, to fill the interior of the openings with the solid substance in the suspension. Then, the solid substance was dried by blowing hot air at 80 ° C onto the solid substance.

The openings of the absorbent sheet had, as observed through a microscope, a structure like the one shown in Figure 40.< Permeability evaluation > The permeability tests were conducted on the absorbent sheet by means of a test method of the Garret type, provided in JIS P117. The result was that the air permeability of the absorbent sheet was 10 seconds / 100 cc.< Measurement of water resistance > Ten sheets of commercially available tissue were placed under the absorbent sheet, and a column of physiological saline made using a 20 mm diameter glass tube was constructed, covering the openings filled with highly absorbent material to measure the water resistance pressure. . In the portion that was filled with the highly absorbent material, it was observed that the SAP was mounted due to its swelling, and although the water column was raised to 800 mm H20, the liquid did not leak to wet the tissue.

(Example 20) < Preparation of a substrate for material in the form of a sheet impervious to liquids > A hot-melt type adhesive was sprayed onto the surface of a polyethylene sheet with a matte finish of 25 microns composed of LLDPE, a non-woven fabric bonded by centrifugation, which had a high elasticity in the transverse direction composed of cut fiber of PP (denier of 1.5 x 35 mm in length), was placed on the sprayed surface of the polyethylene sheet and pressed together, hot, to be joined to prepare a composition of the non-woven fabric and the film having a structure as shown in Figure 42A. This composition was treated in a process shown in Figure 42. First, the composition was passed over a grid roller (ridge separation of 10 mm, width of the top of 0.5 mm, and depth of 2 mm) of stainless steel, whose surface temperature was 100 ° C to produce linear grooves formed on the film (step B of Figure 42), and then extended laterally 1.5 times to obtain a composition of the non-woven fiber and the film with the portion of the film and the non-woven fabric exposed in bands (step C of Figure 42).< Preparation of a suspension of absorbent material > Ethanol and water were added to a 5% BC aqueous gel dispersion liquid (manufactured by Ajinomoto Corporation under the trademark "Biocellulose") to prepare one liter of dispersion liquid in 0.4% ethanol / water = 60/40. To this dispersion liquid were added the SAP particles (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd., under the trademark "US 40") with an average particle diameter of 0.3 mm to prepare a co-dispersion suspension of SAP and BC.< Preparation of an absorbent sheet > The non-woven fabric and the film composition were coated with the co-dispersion suspension described above with 200 g / m2 by weight and approximately 10 mm in width, such that the non-woven fabric portion was covered (step D of the Figure 42).< Preparation of an absorbent composition having teeth > The absorbent sheet described above was formed in corrugated form by means of a grooved guide, and was placed on a 20 g / m 2 PE / PET centrifuged cloth (manufactured by Unitika Co., Ltd., under the trademark "Elves"). ") treated to become hydrophilic to produce an absorbent with a top sheet (step E of Figure 42).< Evaluation of air permeability > The air permeability tests (of the type ofGarret provided by JIS P8117) were conducted on the absorbent sheet described above with the result that the air permeability was good, 80 sec / 100 cc.< Wear test of absorbent products > 10 pieces of baby diaper were made by attaching a crease and a fastening tape to the absorbent sheet described above having teeth, and wear tests were conducted. With two pieces of diaper for baby there was a leak of lateral pressure, but there was no leakage in the entire back side with any of the diapers.

(Example 21) < Preparation of a water resistant material that has teeth and projections > An MS non-woven fabric (meltblown composition and centrifugally bonded) (18 g / m2) was prepared, mainly composed of molten blown PP (5 g / m2) and PP joined by centrifugation (13 g / m2). . On the other hand, an open film made by providing 12 mm diameter openings was prepared on a 30 micron thick PE film composed mainly of LLDPE. A small amount of hot-melt type adhesive was sprayed onto the open film, and a non-woven fabric of MS was attached on the sprayed side to obtain a composite sheet as shown in Figure 43. On this composite sheet a Water column test with a procedure identical to that applied in Example 19 above, with the result that the value was approximately 200 mm H20.< Preparation of an absorbent suspension > An absorbent suspension was prepared under the same conditions as in Example 19 above. The composition described above of nonwoven fabric of MS and the open film was, in a procedure identical to that applied in Example 19 above, supplied with one side of the open film oriented on a conveyor belt provided with a suction zone and the suspension Absorbent was fed over the composition. The composition was subjected to the removal of the liquid component in the suction zone and the SAP particles as absorbent material were bonded and filled on the exposed surface of the nonwoven fabric of MS by means of the MFC to obtain an absorbent sheet as shows in Figure 44.< Air permeability of the absorbent sheet > An air permeability test was conducted(based on the Garret test provided by JIS P8117) on the obtained absorbent sheet, with the result that the air permeability was 160 sec / 100 cc.< Evaluation of the water resistance of the absorbent sheet > Ten sheets of commercially available tissue paper were placed under the absorbent sheet described above, a column of physiological saline was constructed using a 20 mm diameter glass tube, covering the openings that were filled with the SAP particles to measure the waterproof. The SAP in contact with the physiological saline was inflated by raising the water column to 800 ml of H20, but no liquid leaked or the fabric was wetted.

(Example 22) < Variation of the viscosity and temperature of a dispersion suspension in a process to make a composition >; Figure 86 shows an example of a process for making a composition with a PG taken as an example to show the variation of the viscosity and temperature of a suspension in each step of the process. In this example, a dispersion suspension was used where 30% of SAP particles (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trademark "US-40") and 0.5% of MFC (manufactured by Tokushu Paper Mfg) were dispersed. Co. Ltd., under the trademark "S-MFC") in a PG / water dispersion medium = 70/30. In the preparation of the dispersion suspension, agitation was required to mix and disperse the SAP and the MFC, to save energy for agitation, the agitation was conducted at 30 ° C and 400 rpm. The dispersion suspension obtained was guided to a storage tank provided with a cooling jacket where the suspension was stored at 10 ° C, while stirring slowly at about 400 rpm, and from the storage tank was transferred to a coating head through a tube with a heating jacket by means of a Moino pump (manufactured by Hyojin Pump Mfg., Co., Ltd). The coating head had a residence capacity of approximately 20 minutes and provided on the inside with a heating unit by means of a steam pipe. In this coating head, the temperature of the suspension was controlled at approximately 50 ° C. The hot suspension was supplied to a coating roller provided with a grid, and was applied with a width of 10 mm at 1 mm intervals on a non-woven fabric. The nonwoven fabric was Teccel 50 g / m2 (manufactured by Oji Paper Co., Ltd.). The amount of coating was approximately 150 g / m2. The nonwoven fabric with the coated surface facing upwards was guided to the vaporization zone provided with a steam generator, where the addition of water and heating was carried out, and then it was passed to a reduced pressure suction zone. , where PG and water were removed. The remaining PG and water were further removed when the coated nonwoven fabric was dried in hot air at 130 ° C to produce an absorbent sheet.< Modalities of the present invention in the dispersion process > SAP / MFC particles were dispersed in a water / PG dispersion medium to produce a dispersion suspension. In a process for making a composite absorbent forming the dispersion suspension, the SAP particles were joined together, and the SAP and the substrate were joined by the strong hydrogen bonds of the MFC covering the surface of the SAP particles. The hydrogen bonds were only completed with the PG removed first and the moisture removed then, in a mixed dispersion medium system having a high PG content. Also, since the boiling point of an aqueous solution of PG becomes lower, when the water content becomes higher, it is advantageous that the process have much more water than possible in the process to remove the PG.

Table 16On the other hand, however, as in a PG / water dispersion mode, the water content was raised in the PG / water ratio, the dispersion suspension containing the SAP became less stable as it changed over time, As shown in the following Table:Table 17Therefore, it is important from the technical point of view how to place the PG with water in the process. A first point of technical importance is how a system where the water content is high can be adopted and a second point of technical importance is how to replace the PG with water, after the suspension system became a leaf . Figure 88 shows an embodiment of the present invention which shows in which steps the preparation of the dispersion suspension leading to the suspension supply zone of the forming process, ie the coating head, should be conducted. Both processes A and B are for preparing a dispersion suspension from a PG / water dispersion mode = 70/30. In process A, aqueous dispersion liquid of MFC was added to the SAP dispersion liquid of 100% PG eventually to produce a ratio of 70/30. The suspension is a simple process, but the agitation is important because when adding an aqueous dispersion liquid if the water ratio is locally higher, the SAP swells and the dispersion system becomes non-uniform. In process B, after the PG / water dispersion liquid of the MFC is prepared at the mixing ratio of 70/30, the SAP particles are dispersed. In this way, a dispersion suspension can be prepared with relative ease. In process C, when a suspension with a mixing ratio of 70/30 obtained in the same way as applied in process B is heated in a coating head, heating and uniform addition of water are carried out at the same time in a short period of time, adding steam directly, so that the water content increases in a short period of time, that is, only during the residence time in the head, and the viscosity decreases much more and the liquid it increases due to heating and the addition of water to form the coating. In processes D and E incorporating the present invention, the amount of water becomes relatively greater in a short period of time of residence of the suspension, making the addition of the SAP particles immediately before the head. In the process D, the case is conceived in which the amount of water is larger, that is to say, that the mixing ratio is 60/40, adding the SAP particles immediately before the head. The process E aims to prepare a dispersion suspension with a higher water content, that is, the mixing ratio is 55/45, preparing dispersion liquid with a higher water content of the MFC and adding to the dispersion liquid and mixing 100% PG dispersion liquid from the SAP, so that uniform mixing is obtained in a short period of time immediately before the head.< Modality of a process to remove the liquid component of the PG / water dispersion liquid system > The embodiments of the present invention for preparing a PG / water dispersion suspension with a high water content are described above. To efficiently remove the liquid component from a formed SAP sheet containing PG and to have a higher water content, means are available such as to spray water into droplets and produce a stream of water flowing down to the sheet in the thin layer by means of a flow coating device, so that the PG is replaced by water. However, if such means are applied without care, the surface of the sheet may be non-uniform. Figure 89 shows an example where steam was used instead of a stream of water as the source to add water and heat. This is an embodiment of the present invention which shows means for removing the liquid component in the liquid phase by removing the liquid component under reduced pressure from the formed SAP sheet containing PG and subsequently removing the liquid component in the gas phase by pressing in hot and hot air. An SAP composite sheet formed on a substrate of PG / water medium in suspension with a mixing ratio of 70/30, is guided together with the substrate to a first steam treatment zone, where the component removal is carried out. liquid under reduced pressure with the water content raised to approximately 50/50 and the residual amount of the reduced weight PG, and then sent to a second steam treatment zone. In the second steam treatment zone, the additional heating and removal of the liquid component under reduced pressure is carried out with the water content raised to approximately 30/70 and part of the sheet surface is dried by hot pressing, with the content of PG decreased, so that the surface of the sheet is stabilized, and with the surface thus stabilized with the content of PG even more diminished, the sheet is guided to a hot air dryer to remove water together with PG, so that the highly absorbent sheet with the removed and dried liquid of the present invention can eventually be obtained. It should be noted that in Figure 89 the residual amount of PG is indicated as a relative value when the residual amount of PG in a sheet immediately after being formed is 100. The examples described above are designed to provide a system for manufacturing a highly absorbent sheet using a dispersion medium of a polyvalent alcohol and water as the dispersion medium of the SAP and skillfully combining the viscosity and temperature characteristics of the dispersion medium in the configuration of the processes. As described above, the absorbent composition of the present invention is such that the solid member swollen by the water contained in the structure can be formed in any form, such as a powder, particles, granules, sheets and any given three-dimensional structure and consequently, the handling of the absorbent composition becomes easier and the range of its applications widens. When the SAP is used as such a member and the network structure of the HFFMs is stably maintained, not only can SAP be used in particles, but also an absorbent in any form that can be easily formed. Especially, formed in the form of a sheet, which can be made thin, while having an extremely high capacity to absorb water, and the thickness of the absorbent product such as a diaper for babies and adults and feminine hygiene products, can be reduced to limits. In the present invention, in the case of an absorbent layer of a composite absorbent, provided on at least any surface of a support sheet, it is composed of three components consisting of SAP particles., the HFFM and small cut fibers, the SAP particles between them and the upper surface of the layers formed by the SAP particles are covered in a network structure by the fibers of cut small cut fiber, whose length of fiber is greater than the length of the diameter of the SAP particles, so that the SAP is taken into the network structure, so that, even when swollen with liquid, it can be prevented that the swollen SAP particles are separated.

In addition, the absorbent sheet of the present invention, unlike conventional absorbent sheets, can exhibit the ability to rapidly and stably absorb, often, body exudates discharged in different ways and irregularly, in terms of frequency, depending on the environments and living conditions, in addition to having excellent flexibility. Furthermore, the absorbent sheet of the present invention very quickly absorbs a liquid discharged for the first time, but also absorbs in a similarly rapid manner the second and third times a discharge is repeated. In addition, in the case of a dispersion module system composed of a polyvalent alcohol system or a polyvalent alcohol / water system, the polyvalent alcohol being viscous at low temperatures and the logarithmically lowered viscosity when hot, has been used , the formation and removal of the liquid component can be carried out easily, so that the efficiency to produce highly absorbent sheets can be improved and the cost to manufacture such sheets can be reduced. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A highly absorbent composition, characterized in that it comprises fine fibers hydratable in the form of microfibrils, obtained from cellulose or a derivative thereof, and water-swellable solid particles, at least part of the surface of each of the solid particles swellable in water. water, is covered with fine hydratable fibers in the form of microfibrils.

2. A highly absorbent composition, characterized in that it comprises fine hydratable fibers in the form of microfibrils, obtained from cellulose or a derivative thereof, and water-swellable solid particles, the water-swellable solid particles are bonded together by means of fibers thin hydratable in the form of microfibrils.

3. The highly absorbent composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the water-swellable solid particles are particles of absorbent polymer.

4. The highly absorbent composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fine fibers hydratable in the form of microfibrils, are obtained by grinding and beating sufficiently wood pulp.

5. The highly absorbent composition according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fine fibers hydratable in the form of microfibrils, are metabolites of microorganisms.

7. An absorbent product, such as baby diapers, adult diapers, incontinence products, and feminine hygiene products, characterized in that it is provided with an absorbent sheet as an absorbent body according to any of claims 6 to 13 and 15. to 16. 1

8. A method for manufacturing a highly absorbent composition, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: dispersing fine hydratable fibers in the form of microfibrils, obtained from cellulose or a derivative thereof and a solid body swellable in water, in a dispersion medium comprising a mixture of water and a water miscible organic solvent and capable of suppressing the swelling of the water-swellable solid body and of hydrating and dispersing the fine hydratable fibers in the form of microfibrils, to form a dispersion liquid; separating the water-swellable solid body and the hydratable fine fibers in the form of microfibrils from the dispersion medium; and remove the liquid component to separate the solid component and then dry. 1