Sodium polyacrylate

Sodium polyacrylate, also known as waterlock, is a sodium salt of polyacrylic acid with the chemical formula n and broad application in consumer products. This superabsorbent polymer has the ability to absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. Sodium polyacrylate is an anionic polyelectrolyte 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. Sodium polyacrylate, also known as waterlock, is a sodium salt of polyacrylic acid with the chemical formula n and broad application in consumer products. This superabsorbent polymer has the ability to absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. Sodium polyacrylate is an anionic polyelectrolyte 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. The origins of superabsorbent polymer chemistry trace back to the early 1960s when the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the first super absorbent polymer materials.