Superabsorbent polymers: Eco-friendliness and the gap between basic research and industrial applications

IF 4.5 3区工程技术 Q1 CHEMISTRY, APPLIED

Reactive & Functional Polymers Pub Date : 2025-03-26 DOI:10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106278

Wilfried Denagbe , Etienne Mazet , Jacques Desbrières , Philippe Michaud

{"title":"Superabsorbent polymers: Eco-friendliness and the gap between basic research and industrial applications","authors":"Wilfried Denagbe , Etienne Mazet , Jacques Desbrières , Philippe Michaud","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106278","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are versatile materials, indispensable in the design of various products (98 % of SAPs in the hygiene sector, and 2 % of SAPs in agriculture, biomedical, water treatment and civil engineering) due to their ability to absorb massive quantities of fluids. SAPs are mainly made from polyacrylate derivatives despite their high ecological footprint, because of their high absorption capacities and their low cost. This reality forces some players in the field to envisage a more sustainable future through the development of eco-friendly SAPs. However, the notion of SAPs is often generalized independently of their field of application, and the procedures used to evaluate their performance are sometimes far removed from the standardized procedures essential to their industrial applications. This review attempts to give readers clear definitions of SAPs depending on their applications. It aims also to take stock of existing standardized and normalized procedures for qualifying them. It highlights the cruel reality in this field, distinguishing eco-friendly “SAP” materials from those that are not. Finally, it recontextualizes the subject proposing a clear approach to adopt and showing that the industrial application potential of “eco-friendly and biodegradable SAP” is poorly understood when it is not evaluated according to industrial requirements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 106278"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1381514825001300","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, APPLIED","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are versatile materials, indispensable in the design of various products (98 % of SAPs in the hygiene sector, and 2 % of SAPs in agriculture, biomedical, water treatment and civil engineering) due to their ability to absorb massive quantities of fluids. SAPs are mainly made from polyacrylate derivatives despite their high ecological footprint, because of their high absorption capacities and their low cost. This reality forces some players in the field to envisage a more sustainable future through the development of eco-friendly SAPs. However, the notion of SAPs is often generalized independently of their field of application, and the procedures used to evaluate their performance are sometimes far removed from the standardized procedures essential to their industrial applications. This review attempts to give readers clear definitions of SAPs depending on their applications. It aims also to take stock of existing standardized and normalized procedures for qualifying them. It highlights the cruel reality in this field, distinguishing eco-friendly “SAP” materials from those that are not. Finally, it recontextualizes the subject proposing a clear approach to adopt and showing that the industrial application potential of “eco-friendly and biodegradable SAP” is poorly understood when it is not evaluated according to industrial requirements.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Reactive & Functional Polymers 工程技术-高分子科学

CiteScore

8.90

自引率

5.90%

发文量

259

审稿时长

27 days

期刊介绍： Reactive & Functional Polymers provides a forum to disseminate original ideas, concepts and developments in the science and technology of polymers with functional groups, which impart specific chemical reactivity or physical, chemical, structural, biological, and pharmacological functionality. The scope covers organic polymers, acting for instance as reagents, catalysts, templates, ion-exchangers, selective sorbents, chelating or antimicrobial agents, drug carriers, sensors, membranes, and hydrogels. This also includes reactive cross-linkable prepolymers and high-performance thermosetting polymers, natural or degradable polymers, conducting polymers, and porous polymers. Original research articles must contain thorough molecular and material characterization data on synthesis of the above polymers in combination with their applications. Applications include but are not limited to catalysis, water or effluent treatment, separations and recovery, electronics and information storage, energy conversion, encapsulation, or adhesion.