Sodium polyacrylate

Sodium polyacrylate, also known as waterlock, is a polymer with the chemical formula [-CH₂-CH(COONa)-]_n widely used in consumer products. It has the ability to absorb as much as 200 to 300 times its mass in water. Acrylate polymers generally are considered to possess an anionic charge. While sodium neutralized polyacrylates are the most common form used in industry, there are also other salts available including potassium, lithium and ammonium.

Applications

Acrylates and acrylic chemistry have a wide variety of commercial and industrial uses that include:

• Sequestering agents in detergents. (By binding hard water elements such as calcium and magnesium, the surfactants in detergents work more efficiently.)
• Thickening agents
• Coatings
• Fake snow
• Super absorbent polymers. These cross-linked acrylic polymers are referred to as "Super Absorbents" and "Water Crystals", and are used in baby diapers.^[1] Copolymer versions are used in agriculture and other specialty absorbent applications.The origins of super absorbent polymer chemistry trace back to the early 1960s when the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the first super absorbent polymer materials.^[2] This chemical is featured in the Maximum Absorbency Garment used by NASA.

See also

• Polyacrylamide, a cationic charged polymer used in straight-chain form or can be co-polymerized with acrylic acid and other monomers. In cross-linked form, these blended co-polymers can yield specialty superabsorbent polymers.
• Polyacrylic acid

References

1. ^ "What are the components of a typical disposable diaper?", Frequently Asked Questions about Disposable Diapers. The Disposable Diaper Net (Richer Investment Diaper Consulting Services). Accessed 29 April 2009.
2. ^ History of Super Absorbent Polymer Chemistry, M² Polymer Technologies, Inc. Accessed 29 April 2009.