Khulna University of Engineering & Technology

Assignment On

TE 4123

Topic

Super Absorbent Fiber

Naimul Hasan

1621060

Department of Textile Engineering

Khulna University of Engineering & Technology

Introduction

In international textile sector performance apparel is one of the fastest growing sectors. The
invention of new type of fibers and technologies in hence the growth of this sector. Different
kind of fabrics and fibers are invented day by day which revile the new possibilities of technical
textile sector. Super absorbent fiber is one of those new kinds of technologies which have a very
bright future. This super absorbent fiber has that possibility to become the technology of the
future. This new inventions affect the lifestyle of the customers. Now days the manufactures are
using those new technologies to manufacture different kind of products and bring them to the
market. Technical Absorbents Limited (TAL) is bringing the super absorbent fiber technology to
the market for the customers. This is a UK based company who works with super absorbent
fiber. They are producing different types of products with super absorbent fiber and making
profit out of it. These super abosbent fibers are very much suitable for various purposes because
of its nature. Soon it can take over the traditional fibers which can produce a huge demand of this
fiber. TAL produces the raw product using the latest technology and methods. This helps the
company to produce the very high quality super absorbent fibers. They can offer different kind of
high performance super absorbent fiber which can be used for various purposes. It can be used to
produce products for various markets. It can be used for food packaging, hygiene, medical,
dental and coolant technology.

History

Using acrylic acid and divinylbenzene the first super absorbent fiber was produced in 1938
which was not that much effective in nature. After that many scientists worked with this super
absorbent fiber to develop the fiber. In 1950 hydroxyalkyl methacrylate was used to produce
super absorbent fiber. This kind of fibers was hydrogel based. They were used as the contact
lenses. The first commercial super absorbent fiber was produced in 1970 by using hydrolyzed
starch-graft-polyacrylonitrile. In 1978 the first commercial use of super absorbent fiber was
stated by using it in feminine napkins and baby diapers. Different counties like Japan, Germany
and France started to use these super absorbent fibers as a commercial product. The use of this
super absorbent fiber reached more than 1 million tons by 1990s. Different companies started to
work and develop this super absorbent fiber. Day by day these super absorbent fibers are
developed by different companies and the use of this kind of fibers increased.
Main Principle of Super absorbency

Super absorbent fibers are made of super absorbent polymers which are mainly cross-linked
polyelectrolytes. This is an insoluble polymer and it can have maximum 96% water in it. When it
comes to the contact of any watery substance it starts to swell up. Then it becomes a rubbery
hydrogel. But some super absorbent fibers can be made in a way that they can be soluble in
water and in other solvents. Super absorbent fiber can absorb several hundred times of water in
it’s per unit of gram. The main reason of their ability to swell up or shrink in presence of watery
substance is due to the association, dissociation, and binding of various ions to polymer chains.
The super absorbent fibers keep swelling in water until an equilibrium state is reached. It can
then retain to its original shape. Super absorbent fibers have different amount of mechanical
strength depending on the degree of polymerization of the polymer. If the molecular weight is
high then the mechanical strength of the fiber is also high. Total capacity of absorbency also
depends on the degree of polymerization. The low degree super absorbent fibers are not that
much strong and they cannot absorb that much of water.

Production Methods

Super absorbent polymers are used in order to produce super absorbent fiber. Super absorbent
fibers are mainly cross-linked acrylic copolymers neutralized by a sodium salt. Super absorbent
fibers can be blended with other fibers. Different types of methods like spinning, weaving, and
nonwoven technology can be used to produce the products of super absorbent fibers. The
manufactures are now working on the manufacturing process of super absorbent fiber so that
they can develop the overall production process. Day by day the production process is getting
better and better. Modern technologies are being introduced in this manufacturing process. This
improves the conventional super absorbent fibers. Now the super absorbent fibers are becoming
more absorbent and the mechanical strength of the fibers is increasing as well. In some process
we can get 8-10 times more absorbent super absorbent fibers than the conventional super
absorbent powders. Super absorbent fiber can be produced in two ways. In one way different
types of hydrophobic/hydrophilic materials are mixed up with super absorbent polymer and then
the super absorbent fibers are made using that. On the other hand super absorbent fibers can be
made using direct super absorbent polymers, no other materials are mixed with them. The
characteristics of super absorbent fibers depend on this manufacturing process. We can develop
necessary characteristics in the fiber as per needed. We can improve the absorbency rate and the
mechanical strength is necessary by bringing some changes in manufacturing process.

Polymer Materials

Partially neutralized acrylic acid is used to produce super absorbent fibers. Comonomers of
acrylic acid like methacrylic acid can also be used but it needs to be blended with sodium
hydroxide. Here the process is done by free radical polymerization. We need different types of
cross-linking agent such as N,N′ - methylene bisacrylamide and 1,1,1-trimethylol-propane
triacrylate or ethylene glycol diacrylate for the reaction. This cross linking agents helps to
increase the degree of polymerization and help the overall reaction. If we give example of these
types of polymers then we can say Polyacrylamide copolymer, ethylene maleic anhydride
copolymer, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) copolymers etc. In case of polymerization technique
there are different kinds of them. Such as polymerization, solution polymerization, and inverse
suspension polymerization. Among them bulk polymerization is the best because it can produce
a high molecular weight polymer with high purity.

Application

Super absorbent fibers can be used in different places. For example it can be used as a layer or
enclosed in between textile materials. This fiber can be blended with natural or synthetic fibers.
Day by day the uses of super absorbent fibers are increasing. Various manufacturing process like
spinning, weaving, or nonwoven manufacturing techniques can be used to produce super
absorbent fiber products. This fiber can be used for packaging and filtration purpose. On the
other hand it can be used as liquid absorbent products such as disposable infant diaper, feminine
sanitary napkin, underpad, adult incontinence pad, wound dressing, and absorbent wipes for
hygiene and healthcare industries. Super absorbent fibers can be used inside of wire and cable as
a water blocking. This can also be used as filtration media. Super absorbent fibers can be used
for spill control. They can be use inside of hot and cold therapy packs. For the use of composites
and laminate super absorbent fiber can be used. Super absorbent fibers have a great use in waste
stabilization and environmental remediation. These fibers can be used in the fire protection as
well. To make the surgical pads super absorbent fibers can be used. In order to water retention
for supplying water to plants super absorbent fibers can be utilized. On the other hand super
absorbent fibers can be used for the controlled release of insecticides and herbicides. It can also
be used as a chemical sensor. Thus it can be concluded that super absorbent fiber has a huge
potential and it is already being used in various sectors.

Summary

The main advantage of super absorbent fibers is that they can hold and retain extremely large
volumes of water and aqueous solutions inside of the fibers relative to their own mass. These
fibers are used in various places. Their uses are already descried previously. It is clear that
super absorbent fibers have a huge potential. Day by day the use of super absorbent fiber is
increasing because of its characteristics. The manufacturing process of super absorbent fiber is
also developing as different manufactures are working on it. These fibers can be used as a
blended fiber with natural or manmade fiber. By controlling the chemical composition of super
absorbent fiber we can introduce the necessary characteristics to the super absorbent fibers.
Overall it is important to work with the super absorbent fiber and in future it will be used in a
huge amount.