Abstract: A wet-laid nonwoven fabric comprises a blend of 1 to 50% by weight of fibres of a water-swellable water-insoluble superabsorbent polymer and 99 to 50% by weight of less absorbent fibres, for example fibres having an absorbency of less than 10 g/g measured by retention to centrifuging of a 0.9% by weight saline solution.

Abstract: A water-absorbent water-insoluble fibre or film is produced by extruding an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer into a gaseous medium to form fibre or film. The extruded fibre or film is collected at a moisture content of 8 to 25% based on the dry weight of the fibre or film and is further dried at a temperature no greater than 100.degree. C. before crosslinking the fibre or film at a temperature in the range 125.degree. to 250.degree. C. to a degree sufficient that the crosslinked fibre or film is water-insoluble. The fibre or film entering the crosslinking step has a moisture content which is reduced, preferably by at least 5%, and which is in the range 0 to 10%. Heat-crosslinked fibre is preferably treated with moist air after crosslinking to raise the moisture content of the fibre to at least 10%, particularly if the fibre is for textile processing. Water-absorbent water-insoluble coatings can be produced by a similar process.

Abstract: Fiber or film of water-absorbent water-insoluble fibrous material has a matrix of a crosslinked copolymer formed from 50 to 95% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic monomer and 5 to 50% by weight of copolymerisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The matrix contains regions of a dispersed polymeric material, the matrix copolymer and the dispersed polymeric material being mutually immiscible and chemically substantially nonreactive under ambient conditions. The fiber or film can be produced by extruding a solution or dispersion of the polymeric material in a solution of the matrix copolymer in its non-crosslinked state into a gaseous environment.

Abstract: Fibres and filaments of water-absorbent water-insoluble fibrous material have a matrix of a crosslinked copolymer formed from 50 to 95% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic monomer and 5 to 50% by weight of copolymerisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The matrix contains dispersed solid water-insoluble particles of a material which is chemically substantially non-reactive with the matrix copolymer.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprises a stable blend of two aqueous latices of particles having a polymeric core formed by emulsion polymerization of one or more olefinically unsaturated monomers and a polymeric shell formed on the core by emulsion polymerization of one or more olefinically unsaturated monomers in the presence of the core. The polymeric shell of the particles of the first latex contains functional groups capable of reacting with functional groups in the polymeric shell of the particles of the second latex to cause crosslinking between the particles of the two latices.