acids, C23-60 carboxylic acids, hydrogenated vegetable oils, polymers, sorbitan esters and other high molecular weight esters. 

[0064] The wetting agent can be a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants. The surfactants can be non-ionic surfactants or ionic surfactants. The ionic surfactants can be either posi› tively charged or negatively charged or have both cationic and anionic charges where such a molecular structure is termed to amphoteric. The examples of non-ionic surfactants include alkyl poly( ethylene oxide) such as copolymers of poly( eth› ylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide) ( commercially called Poloxamers or Poloxamines ), alkyl polyglucosides such as octyl glucoside and decyl maltoside, fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, cocamide MEA and cocamide DEA. The examples of ionic surfactants include anionic ( e.g., based on sulfate, sulfonate or carboxylate anions) surfactants such as s(SDS), ammonium lauryl sulfate and other alkyl sulfate salts, Sodium laureth sulfate, also known as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), Alkyl benzene sulfonate, Soaps, or fatty acid salts; and Cationic ( e.g., based on quaternary ammonium cations) surfactants such as Cetyl trimethylam› monium bromide (CTAB) a.k.a. hexadecyl trimethyl ammo› nium bromide, and other alkyltrimethylammonium salts, Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), Polyethoxylated tallow amine (POEA), Benzalkonium chloride (BAC), Benzetho› nium chloride (BZT); or Zwitterionic (amphoteric) surfac› tants such as Dodecyl betaine, Dodecyl dimethylamine oxide, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Coco ampho glycinate. Alterna› tively, the wetting agents may also be hydrophilic molecules. The hydrophilic molecules may be small molecules such as sucrose, glucose and glycerol. The hydrophilic molecules may also be polymers such as polyethylene glycol and its copolymers. 

## Substrate and Absorbent Article 

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, the wetness indicating composition of the present invention may be on and/or in a substrate. When present on a substrate, the wetness indicator formulation will typically be placed on and/or in a substrate where the substrate will be contacted by a liquid, such as water, urine, menses, blood and the like. The substrate may include, but is not limited to, a structural com› ponent, such as woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, films, sponges, and combinations thereof. The substrate may com› prise synthetic and/or natural materials. In one embodiment of the present invention the optional substrate may be an article in its own right, such as, a continuous nonwoven fabric. In another embodiment of the present invention the substrate to which the wetness indicating composition may be applied or otherwise affixed comprises any one, or a combination of, structural components of an absorbent article, including, but not limited to, the backsheet, topsheet, fasteners, absorbent material, etc., or may be a separate element added or applied to the product. In one optional embodiment of the present invention the wetness indicating composition is applied to the absorbent article as a whole. In some embodiments, the wet› ness indicating composition is a single layer. Such a single layer may be applied to a substrate or structural component. In some embodiments, the single-layer formulation may be disposed between the backsheet and the absorbent core, in other embodiments, between the topsheet and the absorbent core. 

[0066] The indicating material may be coated over a sur› face of said substrate as either a) a monochromic color 

scheme alone, bi-chromic, or multiple colors, b) in various shapes and sizes, c) graphics of patterns or alpha numeric symbols and words, or combinations thereof. The color tran› sition may be from being either a) colored to uncolored, b) uncolored to colored, c) colored to different colored, or d) a combination of a) and b) and c). 

[0067] The following discussion is for convenience of for› mulation, but is not intended to limit the type of substrate used herein. 

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention the absorbent article is a disposable diaper. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a diaper 20 of the present invention in a flat-out, state with portions of the structure being cut-away to more clearly show the construction of the diaper 20. The portion of the diaper 20, which faces the wearer, is oriented towards the viewer. As shown in FIG. 1, the diaper 20 preferably comprises a liquid pervious topsheet 24; a liquid impervious backsheet 26; an absorbent core 28 that is preferably positioned between at least a portion of the top sheet 24 and the backsheet 26; side panels 30; elasticized leg cuffs 32; an elastic waist feature 34; and a fastening system generally designated 40. The diaper has a wetness indicator 60. The diaper 20 is shown in FIG. 1 to have a first waist region 36, a second waist region 38 opposed to the first waist region 36 and a crotch region 37 located between the first waist region 36 and the second waist region 38. The periphery of the diaper 20 is defined by the outer edges of the diaper 20 in which longitudinal edges 50 run generally parallel to the longitudinal centerline 100 of the diaper 20 and end edges 52 run between the longitudinal edges 50 generally parallel to the lateral centerline 110 of the diaper 20. 

[0069] In one embodiment opposing sides of the article may be seamed or welded to form a pant. This allows the article to be used as a pull-on type diaper, such as a training pant. Additional illustrative, but non-limiting, information on construction, assembly, and the various components (includ› ing backsheets, dusting layers, upper and lower covering sheets, and webs) of disposable diapers may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 to Buell; U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 to Buell; U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,274 to Buell; U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,145 to Roe et al. on Sep. 10, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,234 to Buell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,411 to Nease et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,306 to Robles et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,648 to La Von et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,823 to Curro; U.S. Pat. No. 5,571, 096 to Dobrin et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,318,820 to La Von et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,578 to La Von; U.S. Pat. No. 7,377,914 to LaVon; 

[0070] In one alternative embodiment of the present inven› tion a portion of the absorbent article, such as part or all of the top sheet, part or all of the barrier leg cuffs and the like, may be optionally coated with a lotion, as is known in the art. Examples of suitable lotions include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,760 to Roe on; U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,587 to Roe; U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,191 to Roe et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,588 to Roe et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,025 to Roe et al. 

[0071] The present invention is illustrated by the following examples, which are merely for the purpose ofillustration and are not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention or the manner in which it can be practiced. Unless specifically indicated otherwise, parts and percentages are given by weight. For Example 1, the bromocresol green (free acid) is 

## EXAMPLES 

