摘要 |
Degradable particulate absorbent materials, together with processes for manufacture thereof, wherein the absorbent materials: i) have, in most forms of the invention, only on the order of 0 % to 10 %, by weight, of inorganic solids or ''fillers'', and in all forms have less than 30 % inorganic solids by weight; ii) are not in pellet form; iii) are characterized by an open porous fiber structure having relatively low bulk densities on the order of not more than 13 lbs./ft.<3> and preferably only from about 6 to about 10 lbs./ft.<3>; iv) are characterized by high rates of absorption and high absorptive capacities; v) are highly flammable both before and after absorption of liquid materials which are often themselves non-flammable and, therefore, are characterized by high heat values during recycling; vi) produce relatively little ash when incinerated, thus minimizing disposal costs and problems; and vii) readily permit of treatment to render the degradable particulate absorbent materials hydrophobic and/or characterized by their ability to remove, and/or form a barrier for, toxic and/or noxious odorants. |