The invention relates generally to a process for the preparation of water-absorbent polymer particles, comprising the process steps of (i) preparing an aqueous monomer solution comprising at least partially neutralized, monoethylenically unsaturated monomers bearing carboxylic acid groups (α1) and at least one crosslinker (α3)； (ii) optionally adding fine particles of a water-absorbent polymer to the aqueous monomer solution； (iii) adding a polymerization initiator or at least one component of a polymerization initiator system that comprises two or more components to the aqueous monomer solution； (iv) decreasing the oxygen content of the aqueous monomer solution； (v) charging the aqueous monomer solution into a polymerization reactor； (vi) polymerizing the monomers in the aqueous monomer solution in the polymerization reactor, thereby obtaining a polymer gel； (vii) discharging the polymer gel out of the polymerization reactor and optionally comminuting the polymer gel thereby obtaining polymer gel particles； (viii)drying the polymer gel particles； (ix) grinding the dried polymer gel particles thereby obtaining particulate water-absorbent polymer particles； (x) sizing the grinded water-absorbent polymer particles； and (xi) treating the surface of the grinded and sized water-absorbent polymer particles； wherein in process step (viii) the polymer gel particles obtained in process step (vii) are charged onto the surface of the belt material of a belt dryer at a position L0 and are subsequently dried on their way through the belt dryer and wherein the belt material has been cooled before coming into contact with the polymer gel particles. The invention also relates to water-absorbent polymer particles obtainable by such a process, to a composite material, to a process for the preparation of a composite material, to the composite material obtainable by such a process, to chemical products and to the use of the water-absorbent polymer particles or a composite material.
