| 摘要 |
An economic process is provided for effectively drying wet, highly swollen, polymer-modified, cellulosic fibres to provide fibres having enhanced properties of both water and physiological liquid retention. The essential steps of the drying process are as follows: First, the hydrolyzed fibres are thoroughly washed with water, thus rendering them to a substantially maximum swollen state. The fibres are then acidified to a low, critical pH whereby the water previously retained by the alkaline fibre is released and filtered off, thus rendering them to a substantially minimum swollen state. The product may be subjected to an optional non-shearing stirring step while in a low consistency dispersion prior to the acidification step. Further treatment with an alkali non-swelling solvent mixture renders the fibres substantially water-free in their alkaline salt form. A final wash and drying step using substantially water-free solvent and heat complete the process to yield dry, polymer-modified, cellulosic fibres having enhanced properties of both water and physiological liquid retention. New fibres can be produced having water retention values above 40g/g and aqueous salt retention values above 16 g/g. |
