KR20040052462A - Absorbent Article With Fluid Treatment Agent - Google Patents

Abstract

A personal treated absorbent article having one or more layers of absorbent material treated with a menstrual pad or a sanitary napkin, tampon, wound dressing, and the like. The treated layer (s) are highly wettable and a decrease in density occurs when contacted with blood-containing body fluids to increase the absorbent capacity of the treated material.

Description

Absorbent Article With Fluid Treatment Agent

Various disposable absorbent products are known in the art for collecting body fluids. Commercial absorbent products include diapers, sanitary napkins, training pants and incontinence treatment pads, wound dressings, tampons and the like. These types of absorbent products include functional elements for receiving, absorbing and retaining liquids. Generally, such absorbent articles have absorbent cores comprising cellulosic fibers (eg, wood pulp baffles), particles of superabsorbent material (eg, superabsorbents), and mixtures of cellulosic fibers and superabsorbents. Such products generally include a liquid-permeable cover sheet or top sheet, absorbent core and liquid-permeable back sheet that generally contact the user's body.

The cover sheet material is used for bodily fluid transfer into the absorbent core of the personally treated absorbent product, and therefore the material used for the cover sheet application must be able to handle significantly different body secretions depending on the application and product type. Some products must be able to handle liquids such as urine, while others must be able to handle proteinaceous, viscoelastic liquids such as menstrual discharges and feces. Treatment of viscoelastic menstrual discharges by feminine treatment products such as menstrual pads, tampons and sanitary napkins is exacerbated by differences in composition and fluidity over a wide range of elasticities. Liquid treatment in feminine treatment applications requires control of the absorption of body fluids, control of fluid retention in the cover, control of the magnitude and intensity of contamination, control of rewetting of the liquid into the surface, and control of liquid release into the absorbent core.

Fiber, including the geometry of the pore structure in the fabric, the nature of the solid surface (surface energy, surface charge, etc.), the geometry of the solid surface (surface roughness, grooves, etc.), the chemical / physical treatment of the solid surface, and the chemical nature of the liquid There are a number of factors that regulate the liquid flow in the structure. One problem associated with absorbent products intended to be used to control liquids containing blood components, such as women's treatment products and wound dressings, is that red blood cells block the voids of the materials used to absorb liquid in such products. Representative examples of such porous materials are nonwoven or fibrous web materials. Blocking the voids of nonwoven or fibrous web material by red blood cells results in a decrease in the liquid absorption and wicking ability of such products. In addition, in the case of feminine treatment products such as menstrual pads, tampons and sanitary napkins, the blocking by red blood cells of the pores of the nonwoven material used herein results in increased contamination. In the case of women's treatment products comprising a superabsorbent, attachment of red blood cells to the superabsorbent results in blocking the superabsorbent and a significant reduction in liquid uptake.

For women's treatment products such as menstrual pads, tampons and sanitary napkins, women expect high levels of performance in terms of comfort and fit, liquid retention and minimal contamination. Most importantly, it is believed that liquid leakage from the pad into the underwear is entirely unacceptable.

Improving the performance of women's treatment products will remain a challenge, but there have been a number of improvements in both material and structure. However, solutions to problems caused by the presence of red blood cells in the blood or menstrual fluid in women's treatment products, as well as other absorbent materials for treating blood-containing liquids, have not been satisfactorily performed. A system that effectively treats red blood cells in a manner that solves the problems presented above will not only improve the distribution of incoming liquids by the absorbent material, but also reduce the premature failure tendency of these absorbent products. In addition, such a system, which can be introduced into a thin, cautious product that can easily absorb a significant amount of such liquids, will be a significant improvement over the absorption systems currently in use.

There is a need and need for an absorption system that can be efficiently processed into red blood cells and can be introduced into a thin, cautious product that can readily absorb significant amounts of blood-containing body fluids.

The present invention relates to an absorbent material for absorbing blood containing liquids. More specifically, the present invention relates to absorbent materials for use in personally treated absorbent articles adapted to absorb various blood containing body fluids, in particular menstrual napkins and menstrual products including pads, wound bandages and the like.

Summary of the Invention

In response to the discussed difficulties and problems encountered in the prior art, new absorbent products have been developed that can effectively process red blood cells and can readily absorb significant amounts of blood-containing body fluids.

The present invention relates to absorbent articles treated with density control agents. Density modifiers make the treated material in the absorbent article more wettable, thus increasing the absorbent capacity of the product and also lowering the density of the treated material when the material contacts the blood-containing liquid. By lowering the density of the treated material, the volume of the material is increased, thereby providing more space for the liquid to be contained.

The density regulator may be any other composition that increases wettability and lowers density when contacted with alkyl glycosides or blood containing liquids. Another feature of the density modifier is that it is present at a sufficiently low concentration that provides wettability to the applied material and affects density without lysing the red blood cells to which the treated material comes into contact.

In one embodiment of the invention, the density modifier is applied to one or more layers of an absorbent article, such as menstrual apparatus. More specifically, the density control agent may be applied to the liner or containment layer, or to both the liner and containment layer.

One advantage of the present invention is that when red blood cells of a blood-containing liquid come into contact with the density regulator, they can no longer block the flow of the liquid into any superabsorbent that may be present in the absorbent material.

In view of the above, it is a specific embodiment of the present invention to provide a thin, cautiously absorbent product that can effectively process red blood cells and can readily absorb large amounts of blood-containing body fluids.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

1 is a perspective view of an absorbent article.

2 is a cross sectional view along line 2-2 of the absorbent article of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of the viscoelastic properties of GLUCOPON-modified replicas as practiced in the Examples herein.

4 is a graphical representation of the effect of GLUCOPON on the surface tension of menstrual fluid mimics as performed in the Examples herein.

FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of horizontal wicking of GLUCOPON-treated airlaids as implemented in the Examples herein.

FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of density change per material segment during the horizontal wicking test shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of density change over two days as a function of distance between gap setting or calendar roll for airlaid material and GLUCONPON-treated airlaid material.

Detailed description of the invention

As used herein, "density modifier" means a composition that provides greater wettability to an absorbent material and reduces the density of the material when contacted with a blood-containing liquid.

As used herein, a “nonwoven web” or “fibrous web” is generally a random arrangement of fiber-like components that are connected to a point of stabilization of the structure and provide some degree of mechanical integrity and contiguous over its length and width. By any material comprising fibrous or fiber-like components that form some or more small voids therebetween. The term also encompasses individual filaments and braided yarns, yarns, or tethers, as well as foams and films that have been microfiberized, apertured, or otherwise treated to impart fiber-like properties. “Nonwoven webs” or “fibrous webs” are formed by various methods, such as spunbonding, meltblowing, airlaid, and bonded carded methods.

As used herein, the term "spunbonding" refers to a process in which small diameter fibers are extruded as filaments of molten thermoplastic from a plurality of fine, generally spherical capillaries of spinnerets, and the diameter of the extruded filaments rapidly decreases. , US Pat. No. 4,340,563 (Appel et al.), US Pat. No. 3,692,618 (Dorschner et al.), US Pat. No. 3,802,817 (Matsuki et al.), US Pat. No. 3,338,992, US Pat. No. 3,341,394 (Kinney ), US Pat. No. 3,502,763 (Hartmann), US Pat. No. 3,502, 538 (Levy) and US Pat. No. 3,542,615 (Dobo et al.). Spunbond fibers are not tacky when quenched and generally deposited on the collector surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and often have an average diameter of greater than 7 microns and more specifically about 10 to 20 microns.

As used herein, the term “meltblowing” is used to extrude molten thermoplastic into melted yarn or filament through a number of fine, generally circular die capillaries to reduce its diameter (making it a microfiber diameter). By means of a method of converging into a high velocity gas (eg air) which dampens the filaments of the molten thermoplastic material. The meltblown fibers are then carried by the high velocity gas stream and are often deposited on a sticky collector surface to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblown fibers. Such a method is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 3,849,241 to Butin. Meltblown fibers can be continuous or discontinuous and generally have an average diameter of less than 10 microns.

As used herein, the terms "bonded carded" or "bonded carded web" are known to those skilled in the art and additionally formed by carding methods such as those described in US Pat. No. 4,488,928 (Alikhan and Schmidt). Means web. In general, carding methods generally start with combing or otherwise processing a bulk sock that is combed or otherwise processed to provide a constant basis weight, starting with a blend of staple fibers and binding fibers or other binding components. Include. The web is heated or otherwise treated to activate the tacky component, producing an integrated, generally lofty nonwoven material.

As used herein, "monocomponent" fiber refers to fibers formed from one or more extruders using only one type of polymer. This does not mean to exclude fibers formed from one type of polymer to which small amounts of additives are added for coloring, discharging properties, lubricity, hydrophilicity, and the like. These additives are generally present in amounts of about 5% by weight, and more generally less than about 2% by weight.

As used herein, “bonded fibers” means fibers formed from two or more polymers extruded from separate extruders but spun together to form one fiber. Bonding fibers are also often referred to as multicomponent or bicomponent fibers. The bonding fibers may be monocomponent fibers, but the polymers are generally different from one another. The polymers are arranged in separate zones that are positioned substantially constant across the cross section of the bonding fibers and extend continuously along the length of the bonding fibers. Such an arrangement of bonded fibers can be, for example, a sheath / core arrangement, or a side-by-side arrangement, or an “island in the sea” arrangement in which one type of polymer is surrounded by another. Bonding fibers are taught, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,108,820 (Kaneko et al.), US Pat. No. 5,336,552 (Strack et al.), And US Pat. No. 5,382,400 (Pike et al.). For bicomponent fibers, the polymer may be present at 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 or any other desired ratio.

As used herein, the term “bicomponent fiber” means a fiber formed from two or more polymers extruded into a blend from the same extruder. Bicomponent fibers do not have a variety of polymers arranged in discrete zones located relatively uniform across the cross section of the fiber, and the various polymers are generally not continuous along the entire length of the fiber, but instead generally start and end randomly. It forms fine fibers or fibrils. Bicomponent fibers are often referred to as multicomponent fibers. This general type of fiber is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,108,827 to Gessner.

As used herein, the term “polymer” generally includes, but is not limited to homopolymers, copolymers such as blocks, grafts, random and cross copolymers, tetramers, and the like, and blends and modifiers thereof. It doesn't work. In addition, unless specifically limited otherwise, the term "polymer" includes all possible geometries of the material. Shapes include, but are not limited to, isotropics, alternating arrays, and random symmetries.

As used herein, the term "absorbent material" means any material that has liquid absorbing properties.

As used herein, the term “personal treatment absorbent product” refers to diapers, training pants, absorbent underwear, adult incontinence products, sanitary wipes, and feminine hygiene products (eg, sanitary napkins, pads, and tampons).

As used herein, the term "absorption" means the ability of an absorbent material to absorb a liquid. Absorption time is used to assess the degree of absorption, where low absorption time indicates a rapid absorption of the material and high absorption time indicates that the absorption of the material is poor.

As used herein, the term "blot" refers to a wet or dry liquid present on or above the top surface of the cover material or top sheet of a personal treated absorbent article.

As used herein, the term "porosity gradient" refers to a porous system in which the average pore size in the system decreases (or increases) from one side of the system to the opposite side of the system. In the case of personal treatment absorbent articles using the porosity gradient nonwoven web according to the invention, the average pore size decreases from the side of the nonwoven web material disposed towards the top sheet or cover of the absorbent article towards the liquid impermeable back sheet direction.

A "low viscoelastic replica" or "menstrual fluid replica" is another substance that mimics the viscoelastic or other properties of menstrual fluid. To prepare a liquid, blood, eg, defibrated pig blood, was separated by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 30 minutes, but other methods or speeds and times can be used if effective. Plasma is separated, stored separately, the leukocyte layer is removed and discarded, and the blood cells in the pack are also stored separately. Separate eggs such as large chicken eggs, discard the yoke and the string, and retain the whites. Filter the whites through a 1000-micron mesh for about three minutes to separate the whites into dense and coarse portions and discard the loose portions. If more than the required viscosity is provided, other mesh sizes can be used and the time or method can be modified. Collect the dense portions of the whites retained on the mesh and mix 80 ml with 60 ml pig plasma. The material is then sheared in any suitable way to obtain a homogeneous solution with a viscosity of about 7 to 15 cps at 1 sec ⁻¹ at 22 ° C. The delivery pack is fixed, all air bubbles are removed and placed in a Stomacher lab blender which is mixed at an average (or normal) speed for about 2 minutes. The delivery pack is then removed from the blend, 60 cc of porcine red blood cells are added, and the contents are mixed by hand kneading for about 2 minutes or until the contents are homogeneous. The final mixture has a red blood cell content of about 30% by volume and is at least generally within the range of 28-32% by volume for artificial menstrual fluid. The egg whites are about 40% by weight.

Menstrual discharge consists of endometrial tissue, also called blood, vaginal or cervical secretions and clumps. Vaginal discharge consists mainly of mucus. The proportion of various components of menstrual fluid varies from woman to woman and from time to time. The proportion of these components also depends on the age of the woman, the activity of the woman and the method of regulating the fertility of the woman. As a result, the liquid composition may vary with 30-70% blood, 10-50% cervical secretions and 0-30% endometrial tissue.

Mucus and endometrial tissue are two components that are not readily absorbed into porous structures made of standard nonwoven materials. These are often two highly viscous and elastic components that dirty the cover on the pad and cause premature leaks (leaks when there is no large amount of liquid in the pad).

The geometry of the pore structure in the fabric, the properties of the solid surface (surface energy, surface charge, etc.), the geometry of the solid surface (surface roughness, grooves, etc.), the chemical / physical treatment of the solid surface, the chemical properties of the liquid, and the fibrous structure There are a number of factors that affect the liquid flow of the fibrous structure, including the tightness of.

The present invention provides, in one embodiment, an absorbent product, such as a menstrual pad, sanitary napkin, tampon, wound dressing, etc., which has been treated with a density control agent for the purpose of absorbing and storing blood containing liquids. The layer (s) treated with the density control agent in the absorbent articles of the present invention increase in thickness and volume, providing improved wicking capabilities as well as full utilization of the absorbent capabilities of the layers.

Suitably, the density modifier is at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 8%, or about 0.25% to about 3%, or about 0.3% to about 1.5% of the layer weight applied in one or more layers of the absorbent article of the present invention. exist.

A wide variety of disposable personal treated absorbent articles, generally including nonwoven web materials, for collecting body fluids are known in the art. Disposable products of this type contain certain functional elements for receiving, absorbing and retaining liquids. Generally, such absorbent articles are absorbent cores comprising cellulosic fibers (eg, wood pulp fluff), particles of highly absorbent material (eg, superabsorbents) and mixtures of cellulosic fibers and superabsorbents, or Other containment layers.

An example of a personal treated absorbent article 20 comprising an absorbent material treated according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The cross section of the absorbent article 20 is shown in FIG. 2, which shows the various layers of absorbent material that make up the absorbent article 20. More specifically, the absorbent article 20 may include a liquid permeable liner 22 in contact with the user's body and a liquid impermeable outer cover 24 on the opposite surface of the absorbent article in contact with the wearer away from the wearer in use of the product. . The absorbent material in the article 20 can include a liner 22 and a containment layer 26 positioned between the liner 22 and the outer cover 24. An additional absorbent material or containment layer, i.e., an absorbent layer 28, may be positioned in the liner 22 and the containment layer 26 to provide additional absorbent capacity to the article. One or more layers, suitably liner 22, containment layer 26 or absorbent layer 28, or a combination of these layers, are treated with a density control agent.

When the liner 22 is treated with a density control agent, the density control agent is suitably about 20% or less, or about 5% to about 15%, or about 8% to about 8 weight of the liner 22 on the liner 22. Present at a concentration of 12%.

When the containment layer 26 and / or the absorber layer 28 are treated with a density control agent, the density control agent is suitably the containment layer 26 and / or on the containment layer 26 and / or the absorber layer 28. At a concentration of about 6% or less, or about 0.1% to about 3%, or about 0.2% to about 1.5% by weight of the absorbent layer 28.

The liner material is used for bodily fluid delivery into the containment layer of the personal treatment absorbent product, and therefore the material used for the liner application must be able to handle significantly different body fluid secretions that vary depending on the application and product type. Some products should be able to handle liquids such as urine, while others should be able to handle proteinaceous and viscoelastic liquids, such as menstrual release and fecal material. The treatment of viscoelastic menstrual release liquids by menstrual treatment products such as menstrual pads and sanitary pads or menstrual devices is exacerbated by differences in composition and fluidity over a wide range of elasticities. Treatment of liquids in feminine treatment applications requires control of body fluid absorption, control of body fluid retention in covers, control of contamination size and intensity, control of rewetting of liquids into surfaces, and control of liquid release into containment layers.

The absorbent material of the present invention can be a porous nonwoven material that can be prepared by any method of making a nonwoven web material known to those skilled in the art. The absorbent material can be, for example, airformed, airlaid, wet, bonded carded web, or absorbent laminate. The liner material may in particular comprise a liquid permeable polymer film.

In one embodiment of the invention, the mean pore size of the pores of the nonwoven web material is in the range of about 10 microns to about 200 microns, thereby allowing individual red blood cells to pass therein from the outermost pores of the nonwoven web material. While ensuring that the aggregated erythrocyte cells cannot pass through and contact the superabsorbent, which may be present.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent material of the present invention is a multilayer laminate in which layers of absorbent materials having different average pore sizes are laminated on top of other layers to produce absorbent laminates having a porosity gradient defined herein above.

Alternatively, the absorbent material may be a bonded carded web. Bonded carded webs are made from staple fibers, usually purchased in bales. The ring is placed in the consumables that separate the fibers. The fibers are then sent through a mixing or carding unit, which further grinds the staple fibers and arranges them longitudinally to form a generally longitudinal fibrous nonwoven web. Once the web is formed, it is joined by one or more of several known bonding methods. One such bonding method is powder bonding, in which the powdered adhesive is distributed throughout the web, after which the web and the adhesive are generally activated by heating with heated air or other heat source. Another suitable bonding method is pattern bonding, wherein heated calender rolls or ultrasonic bonding devices are used to bond the fibers together in a generally localized bonding pattern, provided that the web can be bonded over its entire surface if desired. Another suitable bonding method is breathable bonding, especially when using bicomponent staple fibers.

The absorbent material, in particular the containment layer and / or the absorbent material in the absorbent layer, may comprise a superabsorbent. An example of a commercially available superabsorbent polymer is FAVOR 880 (27406, North Carolina, Doyle Street Greensboro 2401, Stockhausen Inc.).

Suitable density regulators used in the absorbent articles of the present invention are alkyl glycosides. An example of a commercially available alkyl glycoside is GLUCOPON 220 (available from Charlotte Pio Box 411729, Westinghouse Bluebad 3304, Conis Corporation, North Carolina). Alkyl glycosides such as GLUCOPON 220 are commonly used as surfactants and are known to lyse red blood cells. However, in the present invention, alkyl glycosides or other density modifiers are used in the absorbent article at low concentrations so that red blood cells that come into contact with the treated layer (s) of the absorbent article do not lyse. Instead, density modifiers have the effect of reducing the density of the treated layer (s). More specifically, the decrease in density is evident with the increase in layer thickness. In general, the thickness of the layer increases by at least about 12%. The increase in thickness caused by the density regulator is demonstrated in the examples below.

Reduction in density and increase in thickness are indications of increased volume of treated layer (s). Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the hydroxyl groups of the density regulator interfere with the cellulosic fibers in the absorbent layer of the absorbent article and prevent the fibers from binding to each other. The absence of bonding provides greater ability to absorb and retain liquid in the layer. In addition, the absence of bonding also provides better wicking capability, since the viscoelastic liquid flows better through the material with the larger voids.

The density modifier can be applied onto the absorbent article by any method known to those skilled in the art, including by immersing the absorbent material in the drug solution or spraying the drug onto the absorbent material. The absorbent material can be used to make any type of personal treatment absorbent product, such as diapers, training pants, absorbent underwear, adult incontinence products, sanitary wipes and sanitary napkins, feminine hygiene products such as pads and tampons.

Bench tests were performed to investigate the effect of GLUCOPON 220 on the physical properties of menstrual fluid mimetics. First, 90% southern softwood pulp baffles / 10% KoSa T-255 binder, 250 g / m ² (gsm), 0.14 g / c ² (g / cc) airlaid web were treated with GLUCOPON 220 at various concentrations, The change in viscoelastic properties after exposure to the menstrual fluid replica was then tested in comparison to the untreated control layer of the airlaid material. It was performed by operating at a frequency of 0.1 Hz using a Vilastics III blood flow meter (available from Villatic Scientific, Austin, Texas). The results are shown in Table 1 below, and a graphical representation of the data is shown in FIG. 3.

Table 1: Viscoelastic Properties of GLUCOPON-Modified Menstrual Mimics

The addition of 0.8% and 3% GLUCOPON solutions did not result in a significant decrease in the viscoelastic properties of the menstrual fluid replicas compared to saline. Thus, it is highly likely that GLUCOPON will not effectively lyse red blood cells at these concentrations.

Subsequently, 90% southern softwood pulp baffles / 10% KoSa T-255 binder, 250 gsm, 0.14 g / cc airlaid web were again treated with GLUCOPON 220 at various concentrations, and then menstrual fluid imitation after exposure to the treated material. The change in the surface tension of the sieve was tested in comparison to the untreated control layer of the airlaid material. Surface tensions of the various mixtures were measured using Fisher Surface Tensiomat Model 21 and the duNouy Ring method. The results are shown in Table 2 below, and a graphical representation of the data is shown in FIG. 4.

Table 2: Viscoelastic Properties of GLUCOPON-Modified Menstrual Mimics

GLUCOPON-treated material did not reduce the surface tension of the menstrual fluid centrifuge compared to the control material.

Subsequently, 90% southern softwood pulp baffles / 10% KoSa T-255 binder, 250 gsm, 0.14 g / cc airlaid web were treated with GLUCOPON 220 at various concentrations, and then horizontal wicking and density after exposure to menstrual replicas. Was tested by comparison with a control layer of untreated gillede material. Wicking results were determined by the method described in US Pat. No. 5,314,582 (Nguyen et al.). Wicking was performed in horizontal mode at ambient conditions, without imposing weight to limit the sample. A 1 inch by 8 inch sample (8 inches in the longitudinal direction) was used (sample size 5). The results are expressed in wicked distances (inches) for 20 minutes. The results are shown in Table 3 below, and graphical representations of the data are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Table 3: Horizontal wicking results of GLUCOPON-treated airlaid

GLUCOPON-treated material did not provide better X-Y liquid distribution in the horizontal wicking test. In addition, the same test showed that although all materials were prepared with a target density of 0.14 g / cc, the material treated with GLUCOPON in the test was less tight than the control. In addition, FIG. 7 shows the change in density over two days for both the airlaid material alone and the 3% GLUCOPN-treated airlaid material as a function of gap setting or distance between calender rolls as the material is manufactured. As shown in FIG. 7, the GLUCOPON-treated material exhibits a significantly greater density change compared to the control material, especially the highly compressed airlaid material that has passed through a tightly set calender roll. All these results suggest that GLUCOPON acts as a wet debonder when added to an airlaid material.

Although the foregoing specification of the invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention, many of the details are set forth for the purpose of illustration, the invention may exhibit additional embodiments, and the specific details described herein It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

Claims (41)

An outer cover layer; Liner layer; And A personal treated absorbent article comprising a containment layer located between the outer cover layer and the liner layer, wherein at least one layer is treated with a density control agent. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein a density modifier is applied to the liner layer. The absorbent article of claim 2, wherein the density modifier is applied to the liner layer at a concentration of about 20 wt% or less of the liner layer. The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein the density modifier is applied to the liner layer at a concentration of about 5% to about 15% by weight of the liner layer. The absorbent article of claim 2 wherein the density modifier is applied to the liner layer at a concentration of about 8% to about 12% by weight of the liner layer. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein a density control agent is applied to the containment layer. The absorbent article of claim 6 wherein the density modifier is applied to the containment layer at a concentration of up to about 6% by weight of the containment layer. The absorbent article of claim 6, wherein the density modifier is applied to the containment layer at a concentration from about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of the containment layer. The absorbent article of claim 6, wherein the density modifier is applied to the containment layer at a concentration of about 0.2% to about 1.5% by weight of the containment layer. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein a density control agent is applied to both the liner layer and the containment layer. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the density modifier reduces the density of the containment layer without lysing red blood cells when the containment layer is in contact with the blood-containing body fluid. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the one or more layers treated with the density control agent increase in thickness by at least about 12% when the one or more layers contact the blood-containing body fluid. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one layer treated with the density modifier is selected from the group consisting of airlaid, airformed, wet, absorbent lamination, nonwovens, liquid permeable polymer films, and combinations thereof. Absorbent product. The absorbent article of claim 13, wherein the at least one layer treated with the density control agent comprises at least one superabsorbent distributed throughout the nonwoven web material. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein the density modifier comprises alkyl glycosides. A wound dressing comprising the absorbent product of claim 1. An outer cover layer; Liner layer; And A menstrual device comprising a containment layer located between the outer cover layer and the liner layer, wherein at least one layer is treated with a density control agent. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein a density modifier is applied to the liner layer. 19. The menstrual appliance of claim 18, wherein a density control agent is applied to the liner layer at a concentration of about 20% by weight or less of the liner layer. 19. The menstrual device of claim 18, wherein a density control agent is applied to the liner layer at a concentration of about 5% to about 15% by weight of the liner layer. 19. The menstrual device of claim 18, wherein the density modifier is applied to the liner layer at a concentration of about 8% to about 12% by weight of the liner layer. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein a density control agent is applied to the containment layer. 23. The menstrual appliance of claim 22, wherein a density modifier is applied to the containment layer at a concentration of about 6% by weight or less of the containment layer. 23. The menstrual appliance of claim 22, wherein a density modifier is applied to the containment layer at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of the containment layer. 23. The menstrual device of claim 22, wherein a density modifier is applied to the containment layer at a concentration of about 0.2% to about 1.5% by weight of the containment layer. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein a density modifier is applied to both the liner layer and the containment layer. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein the density regulator reduces the density of the containment layer without lysing red blood cells when the containment layer contacts the blood-containing body fluid. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein when the one or more layers contact the blood-containing body fluid, the thickness of the one or more layers treated with the density modifier increases to about 12% or more. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein the at least one layer treated with the density control agent is selected from the group consisting of airlaid, airformed, wet, absorbent lamination, nonwovens, liquid permeable polymer film, and combinations thereof. 30. The menstrual appliance of claim 29, wherein the at least one layer treated with the density control agent comprises at least one superabsorbent distributed throughout the nonwoven web material. 18. The menstrual device of claim 17, wherein the density regulator comprises alkyl glycosides. Menstrual apparatus comprising a porous synthetic substrate treated with alkyl glycosides. 33. The menstrual apparatus of claim 32, wherein the alkyl glycoside is applied to the substrate at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 8% by weight of the substrate being treated. 33. The menstrual apparatus of claim 32, wherein the alkyl glycoside is applied to the substrate at a concentration of about 0.25% to about 3% by weight of the substrate being treated. 33. The menstrual apparatus of claim 32, wherein the alkyl glycoside is applied to the substrate at a concentration of about 0.3% to about 1.5% by weight of the substrate being treated. 33. The menstrual apparatus of claim 32, wherein the alkyl glycoside reduces the density of the substrate without dissolving the red blood cells when the substrate is in contact with the blood-containing body fluid. 33. The menstrual device of claim 32, wherein said substrate increases in thickness by at least about 12% of said substrate treated with alkyl glycosides when said substrate contacts the blood-containing body fluids. 33. The menstrual appliance of claim 32, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven web material selected from the group consisting of airlaid, airformed, wet, absorbent lamination, nonwovens, liquid permeable polymer films, and combinations thereof. The menstrual appliance of claim 38, wherein the substrate comprises one or more superabsorbents distributed throughout the nonwoven web material. A menstrual pad comprising the menstrual apparatus of claim 32. A tampon comprising the menstrual apparatus of claim 32.