Absorbent composite structure and method of making the same

摘要

The invention relates to an absorbent composite structure comprising a substrate having an upper and a lower surface and a plurality of hydrogel-forming polymer particles chemically bonded to at least one surface of the substrate (3), wherein the polymer particles (2) each comprise a plurality of cross-linked molecules (13=18). The substrate and the hydrogel-forming polymer particles are connected by a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the molecules of the particles. For at least a part of the structure the degree of inter particle cross-linking between the particles is sufficiently low that no inter-particle crosslinked macrostructures are formed of circumscribed dry volume larger than 10mm<3>. In this manner the particles are firmly attached to the substrate in both the dry and wet state, without negatively affecting the substrate's flexibility and while maintaining a desired permeability of the composite structure. The firm attachment of the particles to the substrate allows subjecting the substrate to a physical deformations, for instance to impart extensibility thereto, without the particles becoming detached. <MATH>