Superabsorbent Polymers: A Versatile Material That Can Solidify, Block, Moisten and Reduce Friction

When it comes to superabsorbent polymers (SAP), most people think about diapers and pet sheets due to their ability to absorb and retain large amounts of liquid relative to their mass. SAP from Nippon Shokubai Group, however, offers even more functionality.

These versatile materials — which include AQUALIC™ CA, AQUALIC™ CS and ACRYHOPE™ — can solidify waste liquids, block water, control humidity, reduce friction and more, making them useful for a wide range of applications including healthcare, horticulture and civil engineering.

Here’s an overview of what our SAP can do:

Absorption and retention. Our SAP can absorb and retain water, aqueous alcohol solutions and other liquids, making them ideal for applications requiring liquid retention and solidification.

Volume change. SAP’s volume increases when absorbing liquid, closing holes and crevices. SAP-embedded tapes in cabling can stop water intrusion in case the film breaks, while SAP-embedded rubber adheres to and seals gaps between concrete slabs.

Moisture absorption. Our SAP can take in moisture from the air. This capability can be repeated according to the ambient humidity, making the material well-suited for applications requiring humidity control or dew condensation prevention.

Our Sustainable SAP Lineup

Roughly one quarter of the disposable diapers made in the world use our SAP. We successfully developed Mass Balance SAP, which is currently commercially available. We’ve also jointly developed new technologies for recycling the SAP in used disposable diapers and are in the process of developing SAP made from bio-feedstock.

Our SAP lineup includes the following products:

• AQUALIC™ CA: A versatile SAP for use in daily commodities. It features excellent absorbency for various water-based liquids, making it ideal for diapers, pet sheets, sanitary products, body warmers, coolants, air fresheners and drip sheets.
• AQUALIC™ CS: A salt-resistant SAP that features stable absorption properties even in water with high concentrations of electrolytes — e.g., seawater. This material is useful for sealing materials in cabling and civil engineering applications.
• ACRYHOPE™: This SAP retains water and supplies moisture to dry soil, aiding in plant growth, making it ideal for greening and horticulture applications.

To learn more about our SAP materials, please enter your email below to download our technical document and safety data sheet.