The Effects of Acrylamide Loading on the Swelling Capacity of Superabsorbent Polymer in Different Aqueous Medium

Abstract

Superabsorbent polymer from waste polystyrene-graft-polyacrylamide was synthesized through emulsion polymerization technique using acrylamide as a monomer and potassium persulphate as an initiator in the presence of N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (NMBA) as a crosslinking agent. The effects of acrylamide loading was investigated to obtain the optimum condition that shows the best swelling capacity in three different aqueous medium; distilled water, saline solution and urea solution. Superabsorbent hydrogel were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and electron scanning microscopy (SEM). Swelling test showed optimum absorbencies for distilled water, saline and urea solution were 1230 wt%, 1160 wt% and 440 wt% from their dry weight, respectively, recorded at ratio 1:10 of waste polystyrene to acrylamide. Meanwhile, the IR Spectroscopy proves that the grafting process between acrylamide and waste polystyrene was occurred in the hydrogel. Thermal degradation of the hydrogel started at 350 °C and the existence of porous unit can be observed in SEM micrographs.

Effect of Hectorite Clay Loading on Thermal Properties of Superabsorbent Polymer Composite Based on Polystyrene-Graft-Polycrylic Acid/Hectorite Clay and Mung Bean Starch

“…The study of incorporation of waste polystyrene foam (WPSF) in superabsorbent system has received the attention since WPSF has become a critical environmental due to its non-biodegradable and carcinogenic effect. The introduction of polar groups into synthetic polymer can caused the induction of hydrophilicity and reduced the disposal of polystyrene as well as to convert the waste into valuable materials [3].…”