Abstract: The present invention provides absorbent materials comprising a hydrogel-forming swellable polymer and a plasticizer, wherein the absorbent material demonstrates an advantageous performance characteristic such as advantageous fluid absorption capacity, fluid absorption rate, and rewetting, wherein the advantageous performance characteristic is within at least about 80% of a similar characteristic exhibited by a crosslinked polyacrylate superabsorbent polymer, or wherein the cumulative performance of the advantageous performance characteristics is comparable or superior to performance exhibited by the crosslinked polyacrylate superabsorbent polymer. The present invention also relates to articles of manufacture comprising such absorbent materials, and methods of manufacture.