Microporous sheet product and methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, the microporous sheet product is made by a process that includes melt-extruding a sheet material using an extrusion mixture that includes (i) a cyclic olefin copolymer, (ii) an electrolyte swellable thermoplastic, and (iii) a compatibilizing agent that promotes mixing of the cyclic olefin copolymer and the electrolyte swellable thermoplastic, the compatibilizing agent having a boiling point in the range of 135-300 C. As an example, the cyclic olefin copolymer may be an ethylene-norbornene copolymer, the electrolyte swellable thermoplastic may be polyethylene oxide, and the compatibilizing agent may be mineral spirits. After extrusion, the sheet material may be cooled, and the compatibilizing agent may be removed, forming an ionically-conductive microporous sheet product. The microporous sheet product has high-temperature stability and gels when exposed to a liquid electrolyte, enabling high ionic conductivity when used as a battery separator.

A sealing composition for use in unit dose packages is provided, including: 70 to 98 wt % water; 1 to 30 wt % of a hydrogen bonding component; and 1 to 30 wt % of a complex forming component.

Provided herein are absorbent polymers produced from beta-propiolactone, and methods of producing such polymers. These absorbent polymer may be cross-linked. The beta-propiolactone may be derived from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide. The absorbent polymer may be bio-based and/or bio-degradable. The absorbent polymers may be used for diapers, adult incontinence products, and feminine hygiene products, as well as for agricultural applications.

A water-soluble film includes a polyvinyl alcohol resin (A) as a main component, wherein the ratio (X.sub.TD/X.sub.MD) of a degree of elongation (X.sub.TD) in the transverse direction (TD) of the water-soluble film to a degree of elongation (X.sub.MD) in the machine direction (MD) thereof when the water-soluble film is floated on the surface of water at 20 C. for 60 seconds is from 1.05 to 1.5. The water-soluble film exhibits reduced curling, exhibits reduced positional shift, and shows satisfactory sealability while forming a package.

Disclosed are a superabsorbent polymer having improved anti-caking properties and a method of preparing the same, and the superabsorbent polymer having improved anti-caking properties includes a superabsorbent polymer, microparticles, and water, and to improve anti-caking properties of the superabsorbent polymer, the temperature of the superabsorbent polymer or water upon addition of water or the aging time upon stirring is adjusted, thereby preventing caking of the particles.

A superabsorbent polymer includes polymeric particles, surface cross-linking agents and an extract of a plant of Sapindaceae. The polymeric particles have cross-linking inside the polymeric particles. The surface cross-linking agents are covalently bound to the surface of the polymeric particles so as to constitute a layer of surface cross-linked region at the surface of each polymeric particle, and the extract of the plant of Sapindaceae covers the surface of the polymeric particles.

[Problem] To provide a gel which can be produced in a short time, has controlled properties such as modulus and expansion pressure, and has a low polymer concentration. [Solution] A process for producing a polymer gel in which gel-precursor clusters have been crosslinked with one another to form a three-dimensional network structure, characterized by comprising a) a step in which monomer or polymer units that are present in a concentration less than a critical gelation concentration are crosslinked to form the gel-precursor clusters, the gel-precursor clusters having a storage modulus G and a loss modulus G which satisfy the relationship G<G, and b) a step in which the gel-precursor clusters are crosslinked with one another by a crosslinking agent to obtain a gel having a three-dimensional network structure.

Provided is a water absorbent resin composition which is capable of suppressing unpleasant odors, while having excellent fluidity. A water absorbent resin composition according to the present invention contains a water absorbent resin and a hydroxamic acid or a salt thereof.

A method is provided which, by a simple process, separates and recovers pulp fibers from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. A used absorbent article is treated with an aqueous solution that contains greater than or equal to 0.05 mass % of at least one kind of terpene selected from the group comprising terpene hydrocarbons, terpene aldehydes, and terpene ketones and that contains a deactivating agent that can deactivate the superabsorbent polymer; the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated, the adhesive that bonds together the constituent materials of the absorbent article is dissolved with the terpene to decompose the absorbent article, the pulp fibers are discharged to outside of the absorbent article, and the pulp fibers are separated from the absorbent article and recovered.

A super absorbent polymer according to the present invention has excellent dryness while maintaining excellent absorption performance, and thus is preferably used for hygienic materials such as diapers, and can exhibit excellent performance.