Polymer that can absorb and retain extremely large amounts of a liquid relative to
its own mass.
Notes:
- The liquid absorbed can be water or an organic liquid.
- The swelling ratio of a superabsorbent polymer can reach the order of 1000:1.
- Superabsorbent polymers for water are frequently polyelectrolytes.
Source:
PAC, 2004, 76, 889
(Definitions of terms relating to reactions of polymers and to functional polymeric
materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2003))
on page 903