Superabsorbent fibers

Superabsorbent materials are able to hold and retain extremely large volumes of water and aqueous solutions inside, relative to their own mass. They have been employed in various industrial and consumer product applications such as oil absorption and water absorption together with the largest use in personal disposable hygiene products, food packaging, and agriculture. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) provide flexibility in use as they are available in the form of powder, granule, and fiber. Superabsorbent fiber is mainly produced by two different ways, i.e. mixing the superabsorbent material with hydrophobic/hydrophilic material or directly using a SAP in fiber spinning with dry or wet spinning technology. Superabsorbent fibers are superior to conventional wood pulp and cotton linter that are superabsorbent by nature and can be blended with natural and synthetic fibers and converted into a wide range of yarn and fabric structures. The global demand for absorbent products continues to increase with the growth of population. This chapter focuses on superabsorbent fibers, their production, test methods, and finally applications together with brief explanation of main principle of superabsorbency and polymer materials.