Soric, M;
(2016)
Investigation of the interaction between superabsorbent polymers and fluids in hygiene applications.
Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).
Abstract
Incontinence represents a costly health problem that affects a person’s quality of life physically, mentally and socially to a greater degree than diabetes, arthritis and many other chronic conditions. Surgery and medication can help improving the symptoms but deposable pads represent the main reliable management solution. In recent years, the disposable products became thinner and more discreet with the introduction of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). SAPs are in general made of poly-acrylic acid partially neutralised, lightly cross-linked that can take up to 1000 times their weight in water and up to 100 times in urine and hold it under pressure. In order to design and produce reliable absorbent products, there is a need to understand the basic science behind superabsorbent polymers. The literature in this field is vague but basic physics can be applied from literature on soil science and mineralogy. The aim of this project is to develop relevant methods and reliable research methodology to determine properties of superabsorbent polymers such as swelling kinetics, porosity and permeability which could be at use in future mathematical model that would correlate these properties to the product performance. The work comprised in this report is primarily experimental in nature and involves developing several types of testing methods for simulating the interaction of fluid in a pad. More importantly, research methodologies that would lead to determine the porosity of wet gel beds were produced. This included methods for removing the fluid in-between the polymer particles (interstitial) without removing any fluid from within. The final methodology developed is then presented as a liquid porosimetry-based method that integrates swelling kinetics measurements and allows the calculation of the wet gel bed SAP porosity as a function of time and pressure.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Title: | Investigation of the interaction between superabsorbent polymers and fluids in hygiene applications |
| Event: | university college london |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | superabsorbent polymer, SAP, absorption, swelling, porosity |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Med Phys and Biomedical Eng |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1474523 |
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