What is the crystalline substance found in disposable diapers?
The crystals are probably coming from the “super absorbent layer” found in most disposable diapers. This layer consists of paper fluff and a chemical absorbent called sodium polyacrylate. Sodium polyacrylate is an amazing water absorber — it can absorb 200 to 300 times its weight in tap water (even more if the water is distilled) and hold it in a gooey gel. Sodium polyacrylate is a polymer, meaning that it consists of chains of identical units (monomers). The monomer for sodium polyacrylate is: –CH2–CH(CO2Na)– It is a pretty cool polymer — shake the crystals out of a new diaper (or buy the crystals at a garden center) and add water to them. Pretty amazing! There is concern in certain circles about the use of sodium polyacrylate next to a child’s skin. The concern is often used as an argument against disposable diapers. This diaper page talks about the issue bri
Related Questions
- At this April meeting when the justification was made why a new book was needed, was there any discussion of the contents or substance of the biology book on the subject of evolution?
- What is the crystalline substance found in disposable diapers?
- Is the white substance on the surface of the honey foam?
