gen bonding, ionic, polar covalent bonding, Van der Waals forces, dipole-dipole forces, London dispersion forces and combinations thereof. 

The first binding agent may be employed in compositions at levels which are effective at immobilizing and stabilizing the colorant in its first state, including from about 4% to about 90%, from about 10% to about 75%, and from about 20% to about 65%, by weight of the composition. 

(ii) Second Binding Agent 

The second binding agent may be any material which 10 immobilizes the colorant when the colorant is in its final color state. There are various materials which may be suitable for use as the second binding agent for the wetness indicating compositions of the present invention. 

In one embodiment of the present invention the second 15 binding agents may be selected from, but are not limited to those second binding agents disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,904, 865 to Klofta. 

In one optional embodiment of the present invention the second binding agent is selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salt compounds, cationic clay, poly› acrylic acid polymers, organic acids, and combinations thereof. Examples of suitable quaternary anmionium com› pounds include, but are not limited to, dimethyl(2-ethylhexy› lhydrogenatedtallowalkyl) anmionium methyl sulfate, cocoalky !methyl [ ethoxy lated(l 5)] anmionium chloride, dodecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, octadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, dicocoalkyldimethly ammonium chloride, di(hy› drogenated tallowalkyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride, and distearyldimethyl ammonium chloride. 

It should be noted that the counter anion associated with the quaternary compound, or any second binding agent having one or more cationic group, is not specifically limited to chloride. Other anions can also be employed and non-limiting examples include methyl sulfate and nitrite. Similarly, any suitable counter cation, such as, but not limited to, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, protons, ammonium, substituted ammonium and the like, may be associated with a second binding agent having one or more anionic groups. 

The second binding material immobilizes the colorant when in its final color state. How the second binding material immobilizes the colorant when in its final color state depends upon the chemical composition of both the second binding material and colorant. For example, if the colorant’s final color state is that of an anionic long chain molecule and the second binding material is a cationic molecule, then the bond formed may be, for example, an ionic bond, a covalent bond, or the like. Another example, if the colorant’s final color state is that of a cationic molecule, and the second binding material is an anionic long chain molecule, then the bond formed may be, for example, an ionic bond, covalent bond, or the like. 

In one embodiment of the present invention the second binding agent immobilizes the colorant when the colorant is in its final color state by one or more selected from the group consisting of covalent bonding, ionic bonding, Van der Waals, and combinations thereof. 

Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that when the colorant is an anion in its final color state and the second binding agent is a cation or the colorant is a cation in its final color state and the second binding agent is an anion, the second binding agent forms an ionically bonded coacer› vate with the colorant. For example, when the final state associated with a colorant’s final color state is the pH of urine, contacting the colorant with urine will change the colorant to its final color state, i.e., an anion, and this forms an ionic bond with the second binding agent, which is a cation. The coac- 

ervate formation is due to the strong coulombic interaction between the opposite charges of the colorant and the second binding agent. The coacervate formed between the colorant and the second binding agent neutralizes the charge in both species and dramatically reduces both of their solubilities in polar solvents such as water or urine while the coacervate’s solubility in the matrix remains high due to this charge neu› tralization and the coacervate’s more lipophilic nature. Both of these effects dramatically inhibits the leaching of the colo› rant from the matrix. The increased lipophilicity of the coac› ervate leads to increased intermolecular bonding forces between the coacervate and components of the matrix. These intermolecular forces may further limit the diffusion and mobility of the colorant into an aqueous environment such as unne. 

In certain optional embodiments of the present invention, use of cationic quaternary anm10nium compounds as the sec› ond binding agent may also function to darken or intensify the color change of certain colorants, especially those belonging to the sulfonephthalein class of pH indicators. Without wish› ing to be bound by theory, it is believed this darkening is due to several possible factors: 1) alkaline impurities within the quaternary anm10nium raw material, 2) absorption shifting and absorptivity coefficient increases due to coacervate for- mation and/or 3) increased formation of the colorant in its final color state. 

The second binding agent may be employed in composi- tions at levels which are effective at immobilizing the colo› rant in its second state, including from about 0.5% to about 20%, fromabout0.5% to about 10%, and from about 0.1 %to about 5%, by weight of the composition. 

Stabilizer Ingredient 

Wetness indicator compositions of the present invention may include a stabilizer. It may be desirable to include a stabilizer when the colorant is a pH indicator and when the absorbent article could be stored under conditions of high humidities and temperatures. The inclusion of a stabilizer within the wetness indicator composition is also especially important for new diaper designs where materials and/or chemicals are present that could potentially prematurely acti› vate the color change of the colorant within the wetness indicator composition. 

In one embodiment of the present invention, the stabilizer is an acidic stabilizer. In another embodiment of the present invention, the stabilizer is a basic stabilizer. The inclusion of a stabilizer, while not wishing to be limited by theory, is believed to play a role in stabilizing the colorant against premature changes caused by exposure to humid environ› ments and/or certain components of the diaper, by maintain- ing a stable pH, such as a low pH environment with an acidic stabilizer, around the colorant even when the system is exposed to high humidities and/or certain components of the diaper. This maintenance of a stable pH environment keeps the colorant, especially when the colorant is a pH indicator, in its initial dry color state. 

One of the key properties of a properly functioning wetness indicator is for it to maintain its dry state color during a variety of storage and packaging conditions while still undergoing a noticeable color change in a reasonable amount of time after being contacted by urine. The colorant should also remain stable to various chemicals and materials that might be present in the diaper. Although acidic moieties present in the rosins as part of the matrix can aid in preserving the dry state color, additional stabilizer ingredients have been found to be necessary with some new diaper designs where high pH com› ponents within the diaper can cause the undesirable and pre› mature color change activation of the colorant. To maintain 

