February 16, 2005

Sodium Polyacrylate: It's Not Just For Diapers Anymore

Sodium polyacrylate is the the superabsorbent polymer (SAP) in disposable diapers, but it has a host of other uses as well (in addition to drying out the leak in my old Mercedes' footwell):

  • Fuel-Dri Tank Dewatering System, available from Hammonds: "MIL-SPEC product, no tank retrofitting required." [You mean Our Troops don't HAVE to shove Pampers into their Humvee gas tanks? Rumsfeld, I oughta take you out to the woodshed.]
  • Flood water jiu-jitsu: Water Gel Bag creates instant pop-up barriers to that are light and easy to place until they start absorbing.
  • Baby Diaper Absorbs Snake Venom: A Reuters story from last summer, where the parents didn't notice the fang marks until that night [!?]
  • Water-retentive pavement, which helps lower road surface temperatures in Japan by more than 10 degrees Celsius.
  • Dries out water-soaked library books in minutes, not hours. Or at least it will.
    From a history of the Illinois bio-ag scientists who invented it--and dubbed it Super Slurper:
  • "a seed coating that accelerates germination by a remarkable thirty percent"
  • "used to coat roots of plants in dry areas"
  • "used inoil filters to remove water from fuels" [see above]
  • wound dressings
  • "Super Slurper added to soil in citrus groves is able to help keep nematodes alive during dry periods."
  • "used as an electrical conductor in batteries and in ice packs."

    Previously: Malcolm Gladwell sniffs around diapers

  • 3 Comments

    Dear Sir:

    We got 50 MT month of super absorbent polymer K-SAM mg 2800 comming from the recycled of post industrial diapers manufacture , we intent to export it have any ideas are you interest,

    Best regards,

    Pedro Sepulveda
    B and B C.I. S.A

    Please call me regarding this product
    cell# 1-609-876-9512

    We use it to make a cleaning gel, and for experiments for the kids.

    Google DT


    Contact DT

    Daddy Types is published by Greg Allen with the help of readers like you.
    Got tips, advice, questions, and suggestions? Send them to:
    greg [at] daddytypes [dot] com

    Join the [eventual] Daddy Types mailing list!


    Archives

    copyright

    copyright 2024 daddy types, llc.
    no unauthorized commercial reuse.
    privacy and terms of use
    published using movable type