This paper contains a pre-lab report for a chemistry lab covering polymers and absorbency. It examined the absorbency in disposable diapers as a group, comparing them to other items, but not a between-brand comparison of different diaper brands. It looked at how various polymers are useful in a number of different applications and focused on their uses in everyday life, most specifically diaper technology.
Thirsty Polymer That Lives in Diapers
Polymers are a class of chemical compound materials made up of a chain of repeating structures (commonly referred to as monomers). These repeating structures occur both in nature and can be prepared synthetically. (Strobl, 2007) Common natural polymers are DNA molecules and cellulose, the basic building block of any tree or plant. One particularly interesting category of synthetic polymers is called polyacrylate. This material is commonly used now in disposable diapers and is known for its ability to hold up to 30 times its own weight in water. The particular type used in diapers is formed by mixing sodium salts with polyacrylic acid to form sodium polyacrylate. (Buchholz, 1994) as it is used in close proximity with humans, this material is considered non-toxic. The water molecules get trapped within the polymer and the material changes from a powder to a gel. The utility of this compound and synthetic polymers that have other properties such as extreme insulation and high impact resistance are constantly being incorporated into new inventions
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