Reclaimed Sodium Polyacrylate

Commonly known as SAP or AGM, Sodium Polyacrylate is a superabsorbent polymer which is widely used as water absorbent in commercial applications. It is white, granular and odourless solid. It is prepared by polymerizing the mixture of acrylic acid and sodium acrylate. It is widely used in a variety of consumer products because of its ability to absorb water. Listed below are some commercial uses of Sodium Polyacrylate:

Industrial Uses

Sodium Polyacrylate is used as a thickening agent in industrial processes. It increases the viscosity of hydro based systems, improves their stability and imparts a base to them without modifying their properties. Its unique ability to absorb and hold onto water molecules makes it ideal for use in diapers and hair gels. It is also used in detergents where it combines with dissolved substances in water and binds them together. It helps detergent surfactants to act effectively.

Baby And Feminine Products

An absorbent layer of sodium polyacrylate is used in diapers and sanitary products. The outermost layer is made of micro porous polythene and the innermost of polypropylene. The two layers prevent any leakage and absorb the moisture from the skin. They increase the amount of liquid the product can hold.

Agricultural Uses

Sodium Polyacrylate acts as a water sponge as it soaks up excess water and discharges it whenever required. It is added to plotted plants and soils, and thus their moisture is retained.

In Fuel

It is added to gas containers such as jet fuel, diesel and gasoline to absorb water. It is also used in filtration units where it separates water from automobile and airplane fuel. This further helps in increasing the efficiency of the vehicle.

Cables

Sodium Polyacrylate is used to protect electrical and optical cables from moisture. It is used on the shield of communication and power cables. Water and moisture can cause damage to the wire. This can further create a potential fire hazard. Sodium polyacrylate helps in blocking water from penetrating and damaging the cable.

Sodium Polyacrylate is made up of multiple chains of acrylate compounds which possess a positive anionic charge. This positive charge helps in attracting water based molecules and makes it a super absorbent compound.

Nowadays, Reclaimed Sodium Polyacrylate is available in the market. It is typically obtained from industrial rejects of personal hygiene products.

Waste Prevention

It includes the management of the used products in order to reduce the amount of discarded waste. The two basic components of waste prevention are:

• Recycling: It is the collection and use of materials which would have otherwise been discarded. The already used products are reused as raw materials for manufacturing new products.
• Composting: It is a natural process by which food scraps and other organic materials are collected and allowed to decompose. They are decomposed under controlled conditions into a solid like substance called compost.

Most of the waste reduction strategies are based on daily operations. It is important for manufacturers to produce products in such a way that wastage can be prevented. Strategies which can be considered for this generally include:

• Using less raw material for manufacturing products
• Cutting down the amount of packaging associated with the products
• Manufacturing easy to use and durable products

Today, there are a number of companies engaged in Personal Hygiene Product Recycling. They offer products produced using recycled Personal Hygiene Products and thus significantly contribute to waste prevention and management.

Recyc Php Inc. is a well-known Manufacturer and Exporter of Reclaimed Fluff Pulp in Canada.