METHOD FOR REGENERATING HIGHLY WATER-ABSORBING POLYMER, METHOD FOR PRODUCING HIGHLY WATER-ABSORBING RECYCLED POLYMER, AND USE OF ALKALI METAL ION SOURCE

摘要

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method for regenerating a highly water-absorbing polymer that has been deactivated by an acid, the method enabling formation of a highly water-absorbing recycled polymer having predetermined water absorption properties. The regeneration method according to the present disclosure is configured as follows. This method regenerates a highly water-absorbing polymer that has been deactivated by an acid into a highly water-absorbing recycled polymer having predetermined water absorption properties. The method includes: a preparation step (S1) for preparing a highly water-absorbing polymer which has an acid group and which has been deactivated by an acid; a highly water-absorbing recycled polymer-forming step (S3) for adding an alkali metal ion source, which can supply an alkali metal ion, to a regeneration-use aqueous solution that contains the highly water-absorbing polymer that has been deactivated by an acid, and forming the highly water-absorbing recycled polymer in a wet state from the highly water-absorbing polymer that has been deactivated by the acid; and a drying step for drying the highly water-absorbing recycled polymer in a wet state and forming the highly water-absorbing recycled polymer having the predetermined water absorption properties.