in that it has the ability to absorb as much as 200 to 300 times its mass in water sodium polyacrylate u2014 ch 2 u2014 ch coona n is a chemical that consists of very long carbon chains that are bonded together with sodium atoms found in the center of the molecule this structure through osmosis is able to absorb and retain the water which can be many times its own weight the liquid is absorbed by a super absorbent material are entirely encapsulated within the long chain molecule that makes up the super absorbent material and these liquids are only slowly released therefrom accordingly the latex based paint is reduced in volume and from its initial states as a dispersion of sub micrometer polymer particles to polymer particles on the surface of the drop cloth other super absorbent materials that are available today and which may be used with the present invention include but are not limited to cellulosic or starch graft copolymers and synthetic super absorbent materials made from polyacrylic acids polymaleic anhydride vinyl monomers polyvinyl alcohols and polyacrylonitrile another class of super absorbent materials are swellable hydrogel forming polymers known as superabsorbent polymers saps or superabsorbents for short are polymers of co polymerized hydrophilic monomers graft co polymers of one or more hydrophilic monomers on a suitable grafting base crosslinked cellulose ethers crosslinked starch ethers crosslinked carboxymethylcellulose partially crosslinked polyalkylene.