Selected methodological aspects of determination of the water desorption curves of superabsorbents

Research into water retention of superabsorbents is a relatively recent phenomenon, and its methodology has not yet been fully elaborated. Our results suggest considerable water retention dynamics of superabsorbents in the range of small potentials. In the study, three methods of water retention measurements have been compared for 4 selected superabsorbents from the group of cross-linked polymers. The measurement problems faced during the analysis have been revealed such as those resulting from the specificity of the examined material, e.g. the influence of the pressure of the sorbent layer from the upper parts of the samples, as well as the difference between mechanisms of water sorption and desorption processes.