Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrogels Based on Potato Starch/Poly(vinyl Alcohol)/N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide

Abstract

Several hydrogels were synthesized by free-radical polymerization in an aqueous medium based on potato starch (PS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and N,N′-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBAm), being possible to study these hydrogels as a function of the proportion of components incorporated. In this way, the products generated from the synthesis were characterized by swelling and deswelling kinetics, the first swelling being verified with Schott and statistical models, allowing to contrast the proximity between the experimental and theoretical behavior. Additionally, water retention in soil (R%), spectroscopy (FTIR), morphological (SEM), and thermal (TGA and DSC) analysis allowing to know the intrinsic characteristics of the material, increasing in general terms the knowledge of this type of material. In this context, it was possible to verify the characteristics and effectiveness of the synthesis and crosslinking of the main components. The experimental results obtained show that the synthesized hydrogels present representative swellings consistent with kinetic and statistical models, optimal thermal stability depending on the amount of crosslinker, and excellent water retention in environments such as soil, presenting it as an excellent alternative to be used in agro-industrial applications in an eco-friendly way.