Poly(sodium acrylate)

Poly(sodium acrylate) is a water-soluble synthetic polymer belonging to the polyacrylate family, characterized by pendant sodium carboxylate groups along the backbone. It is widely used in absorbent applications—most notably in superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) for disposable diapers, hygiene products, and agricultural water retention—where its exceptional capacity to absorb and retain aqueous solutions makes it the material of choice over competing cellulose-based or polyacrylamide alternatives. Engineers select this polymer for applications requiring high swelling capacity, biocompatibility, and predictable degradation; its ionic character also enables use in viscosity-control additives, thickeners, and drag-reduction applications in aqueous systems.