Expandable water toys (also grow-in-water toys or grow monsters) are novelty items made from a superabsorbent polymer. They are toys that expand after putting them into water for anything between a few hours up to several days, depending on size. They shrink in saltwater or when exposed to air. They are made from polymers that can absorb and retain extremely large amounts of a liquid relative to their own mass. [1]
Grow Monsters come in many different shapes and sizes. Reptiles and dinosaurs are common figures, but there are many others, such as: sharks, squid, seahorses, lobster, insects, humans, and mechas from popular anime are among them. Many of the companies that distribute them are Chinese [2] [3] and Dutch trading companies.
Water Balz look like marbles, but expand to 57 millimetres (2.2 in), [4] the size of a racquetball, in water. [5]
Orbeez expand to 14 millimetres (0.55 in) in water. [4]
The introduction and popularity of these toys has followed the development of superabsorbent polymers. In the early 1970s, the superabsorbent polymer was used commercially for the first time for disposable hygienic products. The first product markets were feminine sanitary napkins and adult incontinence products. The development of superabsorbent technology and performance has been largely led by demands in the disposable hygiene segment. Strides in absorption performance have allowed the development of the ultra-thin baby diaper which uses a fraction of the materials – particularly fluff pulp – that earlier disposable diapers consumed. Over the years, technology has progressed so that there is little if any starch-grafted superabsorbent polymer used in disposable hygienic products. These super absorbents typically are cross-linked acrylic homo-polymers (usually sodium neutralized).
Larger versions of the expandable toys can become lodged in the guts of children. Water Balz and Orbeez have been swallowed and lodged in the guts of children, requiring surgery to remove. [5] [6] A 2012 paper documented the case of an infant who had swallowed a 1 centimetre (0.39 in) "Water Balz" product, which grew to "the size of a golf ball" in her digestive tract, requiring surgery to remove it. [5] [7] Orbeez states that their product expands to only 7 millimetres (0.28 in) in the intestines if swallowed [4] and will pass through the digestive tract, [8] but that it is a choking hazard and is unsuitable for children under five. [4]
Starting from January 15, 2007 there have been several recalls on these toys. Ireland, Poland, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary and the United Kingdom have recalled the Magic Grow Reptile and Dinosaur Eggs Wild World due to a choking risk.[ citation needed ] In the United Kingdom, an expanding spider toy was recalled in 2010 for not complying with the European standard EN 71, in that the toy's legs could be broken off and swallowed, expanding in the stomach. [9]
In 2022, the "Orbeez Challenge" encouraged people to shoot one at strangers with gel-ball guns, or airsoft guns, filled with Orbeez. [10]
A diaper or a nappy is a type of underwear that allows the wearer to urinate or defecate without using a toilet, by absorbing or containing waste products to prevent soiling of outer clothing or the external environment. When diapers become wet or soiled, they require changing, generally by a second person such as a parent or caregiver. Failure to change a diaper on a sufficiently regular basis can result in skin problems around the area covered by the diaper.
Aspartic acid, is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. The L-isomer of aspartic acid is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids, i.e., the building blocks of proteins. D-aspartic acid is one of two D-amino acids commonly found in mammals. Apart from a few rare exceptions, D-aspartic acid is not used for protein synthesis but is incorporated into some peptides and plays a role as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator.
Pampers is an American brand of baby and toddler products marketed by Procter & Gamble.
Pull-Ups is a brand of disposable diapers made under the Huggies brand of baby products. The product was first introduced in 1989 and became popular with the slogan "I'm a big kid now!" The training pants are marketed with purple packaging: boys' designs are blue and currently feature characters from the Disney Junior show Mickey Mouse Funhouse; girls' designs are purple with the Disney Junior show Minnie's Bow-Toons characters.
Goodnites are diapers designed for managing bedwetting. Goodnites are produced by Kimberly-Clark. The product has also been seen titled as Huggies Goodnites on official Huggies branded webpages.
A rare-earth magnet is a strong permanent magnet made from alloys of rare-earth elements. Developed in the 1970s and 1980s, rare-earth magnets are the strongest type of permanent magnets made, producing significantly stronger magnetic fields than other types such as ferrite or alnico magnets. The magnetic field typically produced by rare-earth magnets can exceed 1.2 teslas, whereas ferrite or ceramic magnets typically exhibit fields of 0.5 to 1 tesla.
Sodium polyacrylate (ACR, ASAP, or PAAS), also known as waterlock, is a sodium salt of polyacrylic acid with the chemical formula [−CH2−CH(CO2Na)−]n and has broad applications in consumer products. This super-absorbent polymer (SAP) has the ability to absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. Sodium polyacrylate is an anionic polyelectrolyte with negatively charged carboxylic groups in the main chain. It is a polymer made up of chains of acrylate compounds. It contains sodium, which gives it the ability to absorb large amounts of water. When dissolved in water, it forms a thick and transparent solution due to the ionic interactions of the molecules. Sodium polyacrylate has many favorable mechanical properties. Some of these advantages include good mechanical stability, high heat resistance, and strong hydration. It has been used as an additive for food products including bread, juice, and ice cream.
An acrylate polymer is any of a group of polymers prepared from acrylate monomers. These plastics are noted for their transparency, resistance to breakage, and elasticity.
Nonwoven fabric or non-woven fabric is a fabric-like material made from staple fibre (short) and long fibres, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabrics, such as felt, which are neither woven nor knitted. Some non-woven materials lack sufficient strength unless densified or reinforced by a backing. In recent years, non-wovens have become an alternative to polyurethane foam.
Cloth menstrual pads are cloth pads worn in the underwear to collect menstrual fluid. They are a type of reusable menstrual hygiene product, and are an alternative to sanitary napkins or to menstrual cups. Because they can be reused, they are generally less expensive than disposable pads over time, and reduce the amount of waste produced.
A superabsorbent polymer (SAP) (also called slush powder) is a water-absorbing hydrophilic homopolymers or copolymers that can absorb and retain extremely large amounts of a liquid relative to its own mass.
Frank Carlyle Harmon was an American former head of fabrics research for Johnson and Johnson. He is best known for his patent, held jointly with Billy Gene Harper of Dow Chemical, that made the possible the production of modern "superabsorbent" disposable diapers.
An adult diaper is a diaper made to be worn by a person with a body larger than that of an infant or toddler. Diapers can be necessary for adults with various conditions, such as incontinence, mobility impairment, severe diarrhea or dementia. Adult diapers are made in various forms, including those resembling traditional child diapers, underpants, and pads resembling sanitary napkins. Superabsorbent polymer is primarily used to absorb bodily wastes and liquids.
Capsule endoscopy is a medical procedure used to record internal images of the gastrointestinal tract for use in disease diagnosis. Newer developments are also able to take biopsies and release medication at specific locations of the entire gastrointestinal tract. Unlike the more widely used endoscope, capsule endoscopy provides the ability to see the middle portion of the small intestine. It can be applied to the detection of various gastrointestinal cancers, digestive diseases, ulcers, unexplained bleedings, and general abdominal pains. After a patient swallows the capsule, it passes along the gastrointestinal tract, taking a number of images per second which are transmitted wirelessly to an array of receivers connected to a portable recording device carried by the patient. General advantages of capsule endoscopy over standard endoscopy include the minimally invasive procedure setup, ability to visualize more of the gastrointestinal tract, and lower cost of the procedure.
gDiapers are a hybrid diaper, so users can choose to use either a cloth insert or a disposable insert that can be flushed or composted. Co-founders are Jason and Kimberley Graham-Nye. gDiapers began being sold in 2004. gDiapers are licensed from Kuver Designs Pty Ltd, Tasmania, "Eenee designs" diapers.
Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA; trade name Carbomer) is a polymer with the formula (CH2-CHCO2H)n. It is a derivative of acrylic acid (CH2=CHCO2H). In addition to the homopolymers, a variety of copolymers and crosslinked polymers, and partially deprotonated derivatives thereof are known and of commercial value. In a water solution at neutral pH, PAA is an anionic polymer, i.e., many of the side chains of PAA lose their protons and acquire a negative charge. Partially or wholly deprotonated PAAs are polyelectrolytes, with the ability to absorb and retain water and swell to many times their original volume. These properties – acid-base and water-attracting – are the bases of many applications.
A swim diaper or swim nappy is a diaper that is made for those who have fecal incontinence, which is worn underneath a bathing suit, or as a bathing suit. Swim diapers can be reusable and disposable. They are not intended to be absorbent, but only to contain solid waste (feces); the lack of absorbency prevents the swim diaper from swelling with water.
Water crystal gel or water beads or gel beads is any gel which absorbs and contains a large amount of water. Water gel is usually in spherical form and composed of a water-absorbing superabsorbent polymer such as a polyacrylamide.
Chronic diarrheaof infancy, also called toddler's diarrhea, is a common condition typically affecting up to 1.7 billion children between ages 6–30 months worldwide every year, usually resolving by age 4. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diarrheal disease is the second greatest cause of death in children 5 years and younger. Diarrheal disease takes the lives of 525,000 or more children per year. Diarrhea is characterized as the condition of passing of three or more loose or watery bowel movements within a day sometimes with undigested food visible. Diarrhea is separated into three clinical categories; acute diarrhea may last multiple hours or days, acute bloody diarrhea, also known as dysentery, and finally, chronic or persistent diarrhea which lasts 2–4 weeks or more. There is normal growth with no evidence of malnutrition in the child experiencing persistent diarrhea. In chronic diarrhea there is no evidence of blood in the stool and there is no sign of infection. The condition may be related to irritable bowel syndrome. There are various tests that can be performed to rule out other causes of diarrhea that don't fall under the chronic criteria, including blood test, colonoscopy, and even genetic testing. Most acute or severe cases of diarrhea have treatment guidelines revolving around prescription or non prescription medications based on the cause, but the treatment protocols for chronic diarrhea focus on replenishing the body with lost fluids and electrolytes, because there typically isn't a treatable cause.
Xploderz is a line of toy weapons made by The Maya Group to compete with Hasbro's Nerf Super Soaker line and marketed as a safer alternative to paintball. The concept is based on Orbeez, a toy line also by The Maya Group that uses water-absorbent gel pellets, and hence the toy line is sometimes referred to as "Orbeez ball shooters".
3.27 superabsorbent polymer: Polymer that can absorb and retain extremely large amounts of a liquid relative to its own mass.