Overview

Sodium polyacrylate (SO-dee-um pol-ee-AK-ruh-late) is an odorless, grainy white powder. Its most impressive property is its ability to absorb large amounts of fluid, up to 800 times its volume of distilled water and lesser amounts of other liquid mixtures. This property accounts for one of its primary applications, in the manufacture of disposable diapers. Diapers made from sodium polyacrylate are able to absorb up to 30 grams of urine for each gram of diaper.

Key Facts

Other Names:

Acrylic acid polymer sodium salt; polyacrylic acid sodium salt; PAAS

Formula:

-[-CH₂-CH(COONa)-]_n-

Elements:

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sodium

Compound Type:

Polymer of an organic salt

State:

Solid

Molecular Weight:

Varies

Melting Point:

Not applicable

Boiling Point:

Not applicable

Solubility:

Insoluble in water; swells in water

How It Is Made

Sodium polyacrylate is produced by the reaction between acrylic acid (H₂C=CHCOOH) and its...