Importance

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Abstract

The present invention provides a material for distributing liquid and a method for making such a material. The material includes a substrate permeable to a liquid and a chemical treatment applied to at least a portion of the substrate. The substrate further includes a leakage prevention means of at least one area of an increased concentration of the chemical treatment such that the chemical treatment is non-uniform along a planar dimension of the substrate and creates an area of preferential flow through the substrate. The chemical treatment useful for application to the substrate preferably induces wetting of the substrate by a liquid. The material for distributing liquid has best utility as a component of an absorbent article, e.g. a liner of a diaper. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is attached to an absorbent layer such that the absorbent layer receives and retains the liquid when the liquid flows from a first planar dimension to a second planar dimension. Preferably, the absorbent layer is attached to an inner face of the substrate in face-to-face juxtaposition. The leakage prevention means is generally positioned in the absorbent article to prevent leakage out of the periphery of said absorbent article and the periphery is generally less wettable than the leakage prevention means.

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First Claim