Provided are a water absorption treatment material with excellent water disintegrability and a method for manufacturing the water absorption treatment material. A water absorption treatment material is a water absorption treatment material that absorbs a liquid, and includes a granule. The granule contains a foaming agent. Upon the water absorption treatment material absorbing a liquid, gas bubbles are produced in the granule as a result of a reaction of the foaming agent, and the granule collapses.

The present invention provides a water absorption treatment material that has a structure suitable for obtaining a high level of water disintegrability. A water absorption treatment material is a water absorption treatment material that absorbs a liquid, and includes a granular core portion and a coating layer portion. The granular core portion has a granular shape. The granular core portion contains a first water-absorbent polymer. The coating layer portion covers the granular core portion. The coating layer portion contains a second water-absorbent polymer. The second water-absorbent polymer has a mean particle size smaller than the mean particle size of the first water-absorbent polymer.

A sheet-like article (1) for an absorbent article of the invention includes a plurality of absorbent units (4), each including: a long base portion (2); and water-absorbent polymer particles (3) that are fixed to a surface of first side of the long base portion (2). In the sheet-like article (1), the absorbent units (4) are arranged such that the longitudinal direction thereof is oriented in one direction. When the water-absorbent polymer particles (3) absorb a liquid, the water-absorbent polymer particles (3) swell beyond the lateral side edge portions (2s), of the long base portion (2), that extend along the longitudinal direction, and a position, in the thickness direction, of each long base portion is varied from the position thereof before absorbing the liquid.

A method for the manufacture of an absorbent core and/or article comprising the steps of: (i) providing a first, preferably substantially continuous, nonwoven web having a first void volume; (ii) selectively applying heat to said first nonwoven web such that a deposition area of said first nonwoven web increases its void volume to a second void volume that is greater than said first void volume; (iii) depositing absorbent material comprising, preferably consisting of, superabsorbent particles onto the deposition area of said first nonwoven web; (iv) passively or actively cooling the deposition area of said first nonwoven web so that the void volume reduces to substantially the first void volume; (v) optionally combining the first nonwoven web with second and third nonwoven webs such that said first nonwoven web is interposed between said second and third nonwoven webs preferably by joining said webs by mechanical bonding selected from hot pressing and/or ultrasonic bonding; wherein the first nonwoven web consists of a high loft fibrous nonwoven layer that is free of cellulose fibers; said high loft fibrous nonwoven layer comprising, preferably consisting of, a carded air-through bonded nonwoven or drylaid thermobonded nonwoven.

An absorbent core for use in an absorbent article is provided and comprises a core wrap enclosing an absorbent material, the absorbent material comprising superabsorbent polymer particles. The core wrap comprises a top side and a bottom side. The absorbent core comprises one or more area(s) substantially free of absorbent material through which the top side of the core wrap is attached to the bottom side of the core wrap (i.e. core wrap bond(s)), so that when the absorbent material swells, the core wrap forms one or more channel(s) along the area(s) substantially free of absorbent material. The superabsorbent polymer particles have a value of Effective Capacity (EFFC) of at least 27 g/g. The Effective Capacity (EFFC) is calculated via the formula below: EFFC=(CRC+AAP)/2. The Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) is measured according to the Centrifuge Retention Capacity (CRC) test method and the Absorption Against Pressure (AAP) is measured according to the Absorption Against Pressure (AAP) test method. The superabsorbent polymer particles have a bulk density of at least 0.5 g/ml according to the Bulk Density Test Method.

An absorbent article includes a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core and at least one longitudinally-extending channel that is substantially free of absorbent material. The article further includes a stretchable back waistband extending transversally adjacent the back edge of the article and a pair of stretchable back ears. The back ears each include a fastening tab that can be releasably engaged with a landing zone on the garment-facing side of the article.

An absorbent article, such as a diaper or a training pant, having a wearer-facing side and a garment-facing side and a longitudinal axis, includes an absorbent core with at least two longitudinally extending curved channels and an air-through bonded carded nonwoven layer as topsheet or acquisition layer under the topsheet.

An absorbent article includes a three-dimensional material on the wearer-facing side and an absorbent core with a material-free channel. The three-dimensional material comprises a fibrous support layer, a fibrous projection layer and a plurality of hollow projections formed from a first plurality of fibers in the projection layer.

An assembled intermediate is described comprising a fluid transport element proximate an absorbent material is described. The fluid transport element comprises a thermoplastic nonwoven web comprising a plurality of bonded staple fibers having an average diameter of 20 to 500 microns, a thickness of at least 3, and a density ranging from 0.01 to 0.10 g/cm.sup.3. Also described are articles comprising such assembled intermediate.

An absorbent core for absorbent articles such as diapers comprising a core wrap comprising a top side and a bottom side, an absorbent material between the top side and the bottom side of the core wrap, a first and second longitudinally-extending channel-forming areas disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and substantially free of absorbent material preferably through which the top side of the core wrap is preferably attached to the bottom side of the core wrap. The core has a central absorbent zone between the first and the second channel-forming areas and a first and second lateral absorbent zones disposed laterally outwardly. The basis weight of the absorbent material in the central absorbent zone is higher than the basis weight of the absorbent material in each of the lateral absorbent zones for at least a first transversal section (S1). This relation is inverted along a second transversal section (S2) of the core. The first and second sections have each a length in the longitudinal direction of at least 10 mm.