Resilient superabsorbent compositions

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A process, the process comprising dry blending a polymer with at least 0.
5 percent of a multivalent metal salt, based on the weight of the mixture of the polymer and the salt, then intimately contacting the mixture with from 0.
1 to 10 percent binder, based on the weight of the polymer and multivalent metal salt mixture, said binder being selected from the group consisting of water and an organic compound having a boiling point of at least 150.
degree.
C.
, wherein the contacting is conducted in the substantial absence of a volatile alcohol and in the substantial absence of a monovalent metal salt or ammonium salt of an oxyacid selected from sulfurous acid and thiosulfuric acid; and wherein the polymer is a polymer selected from saponification products of vinyl acetate acrylic ester copolymers, derivatives of copolymers of isobutylene and maleic anhydride, hydrolyzates of acrylonitrile copolymers, cross-linked products of hydrolyzates of acrylonitrile copolymers, polyaspartate hydrolyzates of acrylamide copolymers, cross-linked products of hydrolyzates of acrylamide copolymers, partially neutralized products of polyacrylic acids and cross-linked products of partially neutralized acids.
2.
The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of multivalent metal salt is from 1 to 8 percent and the gel bed resiliency property of the superabsorbent is at least 7 mm.
3.
The process of claim 1 wherein the multivalent metal salt is aluminum sulfate or aluminum chlorohydrate or a mixture thereof.
4.
The process of claim 1 wherein the binder is water.
5.
The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of multivalent metal salt is from 0.
5 to 10 weight percent.
6.
The process of claim 5 wherein the amount of multivalent metal salt is from 1 to 8 percent.
7.
The process of claim 6 wherein the amount of multivalent metal salt is from 2 to 6 percent.
8.
A process comprising: A) dry blending a water-insoluble superabsorbent polymer with from 0.
5 to 8 percent of aluminum sulfate, based on the weight of the polymer, to form a mixture; and B) contacting the mixture with from about 0