US Patent 7368627 Absorbent article having improved surface properties

An absorbent article has a liquid pervious user-facing first side including a liquid-pervious surface layer composed of hydrophobic material, a second side opposite the first side and including a liquid-impervious surface layer, and an absorbent body enclosed between the two surface layers. The first side further exhibits a wetting region, which is the region of the first side intended to first be wetted by body fluid emitted to the article. The wetting region is constituted of a hydrophilic material. An outer edge portion of the wetting region is bordered by the hydrophobic material of the liquid pervious surface layer which is situated laterally outwardly of the wetting region.