US 11,993,684 B2
Recycling of superabsorbent polymer with a hybrid oxidative degradation and high shear mixing
Dimitris Ioannis Collias, Mason, OH (US); Gary Wayne Gilbertson, Liberty Township, OH (US); Martin Ian James, Hamilton, OH (US); Morgan Christine McGrath, Cincinnati, OH (US); Raul Victorino Nunes, Clarksville, OH (US); Heitham Darrell Safi, West Chester, OH (US); Arsen Arsenov Simonyan, Hessen (DE); and John Christopher Wesner, Liberty Township, OH (US)
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed by The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/678,707.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/152,402, filed on Feb. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0267561 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. C08J 11/16 (2006.01)
CPC C08J 11/16 (2013.01) [C08J 2333/02 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
 
1. A process for degrading acrylic acid based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) to poly(acrylic acid) PAA comprising:
a. Forming a solution, wherein the solution comprises an oxidizer soluble salt in water at a dissolution temperature and a dissolution concentration;
b. Dispersing SAP into the solution, forming an SAP dispersion, using a mixer with power input NP/M greater than about 20 W/kg solution; and
c. Reacting said oxidizer with said SAP at a reaction temperature and for a reaction time to produce a PAA solution.