Sodium polyacrylate

Sodium polyacrylate
Identifiers
CAS number	9003-04-7 Y
Properties
Molecular formula	(C3H3NaO2)n
Molar mass	Variable
Density	1.22 g/cm3
Hazards
MSDS	MSDS
Y (verify) (what is: Y/N?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Sodium polyacrylate, also known as waterlock, is a sodium salt of polyacrylic acid with the chemical formula [-CH₂-CH(COONa)-]_n and broad application in consumer products. It has the ability to absorb as much as 200 to 300 times its mass in water. Sodium polyacrylate is anionic polyelectrolytes with negatively charged carboxylic groups in the main chain. While sodium neutralized polyacrylic acids are the most common form used in industry, there are also other salts available including potassium, lithium and ammonium.

Applications

Sodium polyacrylate and other derivatives of polyacrylic acid have a wide variety of commercial and industrial uses that include:

• Sequestering agents in detergents. (By binding hard water elements such as calcium and magnesium, the surfactants in detergents work more efficiently.)
• Thickening agents
• Coatings
• Artificial snow
• Bath time recreational gel. (such as Gellibaff or Squishybaff)
• Super absorbent polymers. These cross-linked acrylic polymers are referred to as "Super Absorbents" and "Water Crystals", and are used in baby diapers.Copolymer versions are used in agriculture and other specialty absorbent applications. The origins of super absorbent polymer chemistry trace back to the early 1960s when the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the first super absorbent polymer materials. This chemical is featured in the Maximum Absorbency Garment used by NASA.

See also

• Polyacrylamide can be co-polymerized with acrylic acid and other monomers. In cross-linked form, these blended co-polymers can yield specialty superabsorbent polymers.
• Polyacrylic acid