Abstract: An absorbent porous structure for use in a diaper, a pant diaper, an incontinence guard, a sanitary napkin or the like, with a liquid acquisition portion and a liquid storage portion which are an integrated unit. The liquid acquisition portion comprises a compressed polymeric open-cell foam which expands upon wetting, and the liquid storage portion comprises a polymeric open-cell foam which may be the same or different from the foam in the liquid acquisition portion. The liquid storage portion also contains a superabsorbent material, with the amount of superabsorbent material being lower in the part of the liquid storage portion that is located closest to the liquid acquisition portion than in the part of the liquid storage portion that is located furthest from the liquid acquisition portion. Other embodiments include a method for producing the absorbent structure and an absorbent article containing such an absorbent structure.

Abstract: The invention refers to an absorbent structure in an absorbent article such as a diaper, a pant diaper, an incontinence guard, a sanitary napkin etc., the absorbent structure comprises an open-cell foam structure, the pore walls of said foam structure comprising a liquid-storing material having the capacity to store more than 7% synthetic urine defined according to the CRC method. The absorbent structure is characterized by that the pores of the foam structure contains hydrophilic fibers, at which at least the main part of the hydrophilic fibers are firmly anchored in the pore walls of the foam structure, and that the fiber amount is at least 10% by weight of the total weight of the open-cell foam in dry condition. The invention also refers to an absorbent article containing such an absorbent structure.