IMPROVED PROCESS TO MAKE A WET-LAID ABSORBENT STRUCTURE
In accordance with the invention there is provided a process to form a nonwoven, wet-laid, superabsorbent, polymer particle-impregnated fibrous structure on a commercial scale wet-forming machine having a head box, a forming section and a drying section, the process comprising adding SAP to water and within 5 secondes of the SAP water contact, providing agitation of at least 4000 Reynolds units thereby dispersing ungelled SAP particles in a fiber furnish, delivering the furnish to a moving foraminous support, forming a wet laid web containing wetted SAP particles, draining water from the moving wet web, and conveying the web to the dryer section, wherein the maximum elapsed time from the point where SAP is mixed with water to the time the web passes into the dryer section is less than 45 seconds.