Sodium polyacrylate
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Sodium polyacrylate, crosslinked (monomer: -CH2-CH(CO2Na)- ) is a crosslinked acrylic acid polymersodium salt, invented by Robert Niles Bashaw, Bobby Leroy Atkins and Billy Gene Harper in the Basic Research Laboratory of the Dow Chemical Company. Polymers were produced which absorbed up to 10,000 times their weight in distilled water (gel capacity) and are called polyelectrolytes. These polymers are referred to as "Super Absorbents".
When dry, the polymer appears as a white powder and when in gel form it is a transparent slush/gel. It is used in diapers, tampons, bed pads, fire control, spray drift control, seed germination, soil conditioning, and hydroponics. It is hard water and salt sensitive in that dissolved minerals greatly reduce the absorption capacity of the gel. Other high-gelling capacity crosslinked salts of polyacrylic acid include potassium, lithium, and ammonium salts.
The above information can be verified in issued US Patents.
If women using tampons containing these absorbent polymers do not replace them daily, they may cause biological growth that can affect their health, with Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Sold online as "Instant Snow" and used in the movie industry for set decoration.
