What is the effect of the water temperature in the performance of the diaper?
Temperature
has a small but still significant effect on the performance of the super
absorbent. It also affects capacity (to absorb) under load. For
example, a typical diaper with a SAP content of 30% by weight will
result in 9 to 12% reduction in capacity if temperature changes from
37 C to 7 C, a total variation of 30 C. If you are comparing diapers
for a bench mark study, make sure you perform all tests at the same
temperature. Normal room temperature (23 C) is more typically used
rather than heated saline solution at 37 C. Also make sure that you
allow the diapers to be conditioned to this temperature for at least a
couple of hours before you do any testing. Typical laboratory
conditions should be 50% relative humidity and 23 C. A small change in
relative humidity has little effect on diaper performance unless you are
measuring WVTR (water vapor transmission rate) used to test breathable
films.
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