The absorption of this polymer is so high that a little bit spread on the face of a quarter will absorb 2 oz of water. Of the many types of super-absorbent polymers, this particular one looks and feels exactly like snow when it comes in contact with water.
Super absorbent polymers (sodium polyacrylate) absorb water many times their weight (up to 800 times!). This is done by osmosis—water moves from outside the polymer (less concentrated) towards inside the polymer (more concentrated). Water rushes in through the walls of these super absorbent polymers (SAPs), swelling them up. The most common use of SAPs is in diapers.
You may be familiar with SAPs from diapers, but were you aware of the range of possibilities with this material? Using the same base material but tweaking the physical and chemical properties, you can dramatically change the amount of absorbency, strength of the gel once absorbed, resistance to salt, amount of expansion, and more. For example, it could be formulated to bounce like a ball, release water under pressure, or fluff like snow.
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